Aizen Trains Ichigo: A Glimpse into Aizen's Past
by AizensMaiden
Summary: Ichigo learns about Aizen's past from those who watched him grow up. In the process, he comes to understand the man who now wants to train him to fight against the Quincy.
1. A Fateful Reunion

Gasping for air, Ichigo rested his hands on his knees. This Quincy, who called himself Askin Nakk Le Var, was tougher than he looked. If Ichigo wasn't careful, he was going to be in even worse trouble. Just then, a voice behind him murmured, "Kurosaki Ichigo. It seems that you still have much to learn." Ichigo slowly turned his head, and his eyes widened as he saw the owner of that silky purr. With a single meaningful glare, the slender, handsome newcomer "requested" that Ichigo stand aside.

With the grace of a feline, the fresh combatant evaded the attacks of his heavier opponent, all while delivering some well-timed verbal barbs and powerful kicks to the midsection. Then, as Askin attempted to land a decisive blow, he was met with a blast from a Hado #63.

Trying to regain his equilibrium, Askin shook his head. Finally, he fell to the ground, unable to move. The victor smiled slightly and murmured, "What exactly are your intentions, Quincy?" He then turned around and asked a surprised Ichigo, "Why are you surprised? Do you not know your opponent, even now?"

The soft-spoken individual narrowed his eyes and remarked, "You still have the same predictable fighting style. How do you expect to beat these opponents if your repertoire never varies? It would benefit both you and me if you learn how to set the pace of a fight, rather than allowing your opponent to do so. Come with me. It seems that there is no choice but for me to train you myself."

"Wait! Aizen!" yelled Ichigo.

"What did I say about raising your voice to me?" the man called Aizen responded mildly.

Ichigo looked down before finally asking, "I don't get any of this. You, training me? Just how do you know so much about me?

Aizen sighed imperceptibly. "Kurosaki Ichigo. Do you truly not understand? You do not realize the urgency of the situation you are presently in? That Quincy just attacked you."

"Aizen Sousuke!" A yell came from behind Ichigo and Aizen. "I'm not done with you!"

Ichigo's newest sensei raised his eyebrows and hardened his gaze. "Yes, you are done with me—unless you wish to say something. State your business and be gone."

"My business was to draw you out, Aizen Sousuke."

"For what purpose?"

"Yhwach-sama still has interest in you."

"Does your Yhwach-sama truly believe that one of his subordinates is able to do something that he himself was unable to do? I have already given him my answer."

"I'm sure you understand why Yhwach-sama chose to wait until now to invade Hueco Mundo..."

"Get to the point, Quincy."

"Yhwach-sama acknowledged you even then, Aizen Sousuke. Your power and wisdom are well known. So he didn't want to risk a battle with you. That's why he waited until you were gone from there."

"A wise decision indeed."

"So why do you refuse to join us in our righteous cause? You don't like the way Soul Society is run either."

"A righteous cause? Total annihilation would defeat the purpose of my leaving Soul Society. I wish to rule it. So why would I join a group that wants to destroy it?"

Askin's eyes narrowed. "You've made up your mind. But don't think you've seen the last of me or the Quincies."

"If you have said everything you wanted to, then we are finished here. Come, Kurosaki Ichigo." Aizen turned around to leave, leaving Askin with his mouth open in surprise.

"Aizen, what was that all about?"

"It means that we have no time to waste. Your training will start immediately. So prepare yourself." He quickened his pace, with Ichigo close behind.

"Why should I go anywhere with you?" Ichigo blurted out.

"A good question, Kurosaki Ichigo. Can you think of a reason not to come with me? Surely you cannot expect to simply go through this place alone in your present state?"

"What do you mean, 'my present state'?"

"I mean exactly what I said. I told you, you lack strategy. You were able to increase your power after whatever that 'Final Getsuga Tenshou' is, but do you honestly believe you can continue to win with luck and brute force alone?"

"I beat you, remember?"

"That may be, boy. But surely you must realize that I had multiple opportunities to kill you, both in Soul Society and in the replica of Karakura Town."

"So why didn't you kill me, if you had all these chances?"

"Ah. Now you are asking me the proper questions. I told you already: I have known about you since the beginning."

"That's what my dad said. But is it true that you tried to KILL him?"

"If I had wanted to kill your father, he would be dead. He was useful to me."

"You're impossible."

"If you have decided to accompany me for training, then we should end the pointless banter and be on our way," Aizen said pointedly.

"Where are we going?"

"An individual in my employ has told me that my former captain's quarters are intact. So we are going there for rest and a change of clothes." He chuckled, "Hinamori-kun has her uses after all."

"Just who's working behind the scenes for you now?"

"It is of no importance. What is important is the current situation. These Quincies have somehow moved Soul Society into their own realm. It pains me to say this, but the technique seems similar to the one that Urahara Kisuke used to transfer Karakura Town to Soul Society."

"How are we going to get to your captain's quarters and not be seen?"

"I still have the same abilities I had before my ahem hiatus in Muken. It is no problem for me to erect a barrier around us. You are unable to use shunpo, so we will have to walk." With deft hand movements, Aizen erected an airy bubble around himself and Ichigo.

Finally, Aizen and Ichigo arrived at fifth squad headquarters. In a soft, almost pensive voice, Aizen murmured, "This brings back memories."

His brown eyes softened as he entered his former captain's quarters. Somehow, Ichigo thought, it seemed as if the normally emotionless Aizen was relieved and even a bit pleased. Aizen quickly glanced around the room. Nothing had changed, except that the futon had recently been aired out and his study table had been dusted.

In the closet hung his Shinigami attire. Aizen remembered that Hinamori had enjoyed spraying laundry with Febreze, especially the fresh linen scent. He looked up above the fresh-smelling shihakusho and gave a faint smile as he saw the canister of fragrant green tea. Next to the tea was his favorite tea service: a silver pot and a ceramic cup with a blue and white pattern.

"Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?" Ichigo asked a bit nervously.

"That depends entirely on what your question is," Aizen replied quietly. "But I would like to make some tea first. Would you care for some?"

"Some tea sounds good," Ichigo agreed. Aizen's quarters were among the few that had running water. The aroma quickly wafted through the air as Aizen brought the teapot and two cups.

As Aizen sat down at his study table, Ichigo struggled with how to ask his question. For the first time, he noticed that Aizen's brown eyes, once gleaming with confidence, seemed almost dull and lifeless. Had he just not noticed?

"This is good tea," he started. "It has a nice aroma to it."

Aizen nodded. "This particular canister was a gift from students at the academy after they completed my calligraphy course. But it seems that you want to ask me about something besides tea."

"Yeah. I always wondered why you hate Soul Society so much. You attacked your own lieutenant and tried to kill Yamamoto-ojiisan. I don't understand."

In the lamp's flickering light, Aizen's face looked more fatigued than Ichigo remembered. He closed his eyes and laughed mirthlessly. "I wondered how long it would take you to ask me that. But let me ask you something first. Do you never feel that you are being taken for granted? Why do you defend Soul Society, even after you found out that Ukitake had you under surveillance? Surely you do not think the Shinigami went to protect Karakura Town out of loyalty to you."

"I have friends here. And no matter the reason, they still protected my home."

"I see. " Aizen tilted his head slightly and studied Ichigo curiously.

"I answered your question. Now you answer mine," Ichigo insisted.

Aizen sighed softly. "I cannot forgive those who blindly follow the Spirit King and never question its rule. And I fail to understand why we, the Shinigami, should have had to take orders from the Central 46, none of whom were Shinigami."

"I don't know. You would know that better than I would, wouldn't you, Aizen?"

Aizen continued. "And I must say, seeing Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni so determined to execute Kuchiki Rukia and all you ryoka was truly laughable. Shouldn't such an order have raised his suspicions?" His voice rose.

"That order actually came from you. You slaughtered the whole Central 46," Ichigo countered.

"That was too kind a punishment for those self-righteous imbeciles. It was easy for me to convince them that Urahara Kisuke, rather than I, was responsible for turning Hirako Shinji and the others into Shinigami-Hollow hybrids.

"That still doesn't explain why you hate Soul Society so much."

"It is not Soul Society that I hate, Kurosaki Ichigo. But enough of this. My tea is cold, and I feel quite sleepy. So I think it is time for us to rest for now. Training will start at daybreak tomorrow."

Ichigo sighed. He was used to getting cryptic answers from Aizen, but his curiosity was aroused. Nevertheless, he knew that he would be getting no answers from Aizen tonight. Yet he couldn't help watching Aizen drink his tea. Slowly, even gently, Aizen sipped his tea. Ichigo thought he saw a brief moment of relief as Aizen took in the familiar aroma.

"Aizen?" started Ichigo.

"Kurosaki Ichigo," Aizen said as he raised his eyebrows. "Doubtless you have many questions you wish to ask me. But this is not the time. Your answers will come later. For now, we need to sleep. Daybreak will come soon, and we have no time for long discussions. No more questions." He put his cup into the sink and took his favorite blanket from the closet.

"Then at least tell me where I'm supposed to sleep," Ichigo insisted.

"Sleep on the settee," Aizen told him. "Use one of the spare blankets from the closet. I will be sleeping on the futon."

Ichigo nodded as he found a blanket and settled in to sleep. Aizen turned off the oil lamp and lay down to sleep on the futon. For some reason, he thought the blanket felt especially warm and comfortable. He smiled faintly and closed his eyes.

But Ichigo was restless. He watched Aizen with interest. Aizen's face was still beautiful, but it seemed that his already slender frame was even thinner. Just what had happened to him while he was in Muken? Aizen's words still troubled him, even in his dreams. Why did this man seem so sad?

Finally, Ichigo fell asleep. He dreamed of a regular day at school, of playing a pick-up game of basketball with Keigo and Tatsuki. Of his classmates, Tatsuki was always the best in PE class. Ichigo wondered how he would do in a kendo rematch against her. He knew she had encountered Aizen when he made his way through Karakura Town.


	2. Aizen Plans a Return

Morning came sooner than expected, at least for Ichigo. He awakened to the smell of tea. Aizen was seated at his study table, brewing tea and practicing his calligraphy.

"How long have you been awake?" Ichigo asked. He marveled at Aizen's perfect posture, even at this hour.

Aizen looked out the window. "The sun has been up for quite some time now. "

"You said we would start training at daybreak. Why didn't you wake me up?"

"You were sleeping soundly. Rest is also an important part of training, boy."

"What exactly do you intend to do with me?"

"As always, Kurosaki Ichigo, you are impatient. A warrior cannot afford to be impatient." He turned his head. "The tea is ready. Drink some and calm your mind."

The two sat quietly and sipped their tea. Finally, Ichigo asked, "Can you at least tell me what that Quincy wanted with me? He was pretty powerful."

Aizen closed his eyes and gathered his thoughts before starting to answer, "You do recall that the Quincy ruler tried to kill you. But he chose not to."

Ichigo furrowed his eyebrows. "That was weird. That blond guy with him said something about a time limit. What's that all about?"

Aizen smiled wryly. "Ah yes. Jugram Haschwalth. Yhwach's most vocal sycophant. Hmph!"

"And?" Ichigo asked impatiently. "What about this Jugram Haschwalth? Who is he, and what does he want with me? What do any of these Quincy want with me?"

"Patience, boy," Aizen replied mildly. "You were unaware that your capture was interrupted for one reason, and one reason only."

"And what was that reason?"

"During my time in prison, I had a most unexpected visitor. Yhwach approached me with the offer of an alliance with him and the Quincy."

"What? You can't be serious!"

"I am always serious, Kurosaki Ichigo. I told you, Yhwach called me one of his 'War Potentials.'"

Ichigo stared in wordless disbelief as Aizen continued.

"The 'War Potentials,' as you know, are those individuals that Yhwach believes are capable of turning the tide of battle to one side or the other. During his futile attempt to recruit me, he mentioned that you were also one of the five 'War Potentials' whose services he wished to solicit for his cause."

"That still doesn't tell me why he said something about a time limit and didn't try to kill me. And how would you know about that, anyway?"

Aizen chuckled smugly, "I told you, there are still those in Soul Society who sympathize with me. As I have already told you, an individual in my employ has kept me apprised of the developments in this war."

"What about the time limit?"

"Yhwach, as every living being, has a limited lifespan. He has existed longer than even Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni, who was Captain-Commander of Soul Society for more than two millennia. Yhwach is different. He was born sickly and crippled, meaning that his body is naturally weaker than that of a normal human."

Ichigo nodded, starting to understand.

"When Yhwach gives a letter and an ability to a Quincy, he is bestowing part of himself to that individual. It could be said, then, that those individuals actually become a part of Yhwach himself. Yhwach's very existence depends on the Quincy who accept what seems to be a blessing from him."

"Wouldn't most people want some sort of super power?"

"Exactly. That power, however, comes with a price."

"What is that?"

"You have heard the story of Faustus and his deal with the devil, have you not?"

"Of course. We all learn that in school."

"In this instance, Yhwach would be the devil. Those Quincy who accepted the letter designation would be like Faustus."

"OK. I'm starting to get it now."

Aizen continued softly, "When Yhwach's energy is nearly depleted, he begins a process called Auswaehlen. When this happens, he takes the lives of some of the Quincy who accepted the letter."

Ichigo's mouth dropped in horror.

Aizen nodded. "We will continue this discussion later. There is still much for us to do. First, we will make our way to Rukongai #15."

"What do we need there?"

"We should get going, Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Just how are we supposed to get there? Aren't there Quincy all around? We can't walk, can we?"

"No, we cannot walk. And you are still unable to use shunpo. Although it makes me uncomfortable to suggest this, I will have to carry you on my back and use my own shunpo."

"What?"

"Rukongai #15 is a day's journey on foot. As you yourself said, we cannot simply walk through Seireitei. Do you have an alternate suggestion, boy?"

Ichigo sighed and admitted reluctantly, "You're right. But are you up to it?"

"We will rest when we arrive at our destination. I am still a master of shunpo, after all. But I will be unable to speak on the way to Rukongai #15, since I must focus on getting us both there safely."

With surprising agility, Aizen erected a barrier around himself as Ichigo hesitantly climbed on his back." Ichigo realized that he wasn't mistaken—Aizen's already wispy frame had definitely become more waiflike. Ichigo became more concerned as they made their way to their destination.

The two reached the outskirts of Rukongai #15 about an hour later. As Aizen stopped to catch his breath, he glanced around and smiled faintly. For the first time, Ichigo thought he saw Aizen's brown eyes light up.

"How long has it been?" murmured Aizen as he started walking toward the marketplace.

"Aizen?" Ichigo blurted. "Shouldn't we rest first?"

"As I said, we will rest once we have arrived at our destination. We will be able to walk from here. The Quincy are not concerned with most of the Rukongai."

They walked quietly for several minutes, as Ichigo looked around. He wondered why Aizen chose this, of all places, for their training. The surroundings seemed like a traditional Japanese village.

"I have another question," Ichigo said thoughtfully.

"And what is your question?"

"Renji told me that the Rukongai are numbered. The poor live in the districts with higher numbers. The rich live in the districts with lower numbers. So why are we here, in Rukongai #15? Are you rich or something?"

"I think you will learn the answer to that and your other questions soon enough. Do you see the house with the blue flowers in front of it?"


	3. What Happens at Home?

Ichigo craned his neck. "There it is. What kind of flowers are those?"

A smile crept across Aizen's face. "That is our destination. We are almost there."

It seemed that Aizen's pace quickened as they made their way to the house. Finally, they were there. An elderly woman was watering the blue indigo. Aizen said softly but clearly, "Ms. Hoshino? Is that you?"

The woman turned slowly but with determination. Her eyes widened as she shuffled toward him. "Can it be? Master Sousuke?" She reached for Aizen with outstretched arms.

Aizen's face brightened, and he said with rare tenderness, "Yes. I have returned, at least for a short while. And I see that you have continued to care for the flowers even now."

"I knew you'd be back one day. But you remember my cousin who lived with us, right?"

Aizen nodded. "I do. Is she well?"

"No, Master Sousuke. She died several years ago. Her daughter is here in her place, taking care of the house. You might remember her. Her name is Chiaki."

"Thank you. I should do that. Can you show us inside?"

The elderly woman grabbed Aizen's arm. Patiently, Ichigo followed as Aizen helped her to the door. Aizen was actually capable of warmth? Ichigo was a bit surprised.

"Please, sit down. I'll call Chiaki to make some tea," the motherly woman invited.

"Some tea would be most welcome. Would it also be possible to prepare some breakfast? We have yet to eat."

"Of course, Master Sousuke. Chiaki's really learned how to make a great miso soup." Ms. Hoshino hobbled to the stairs. "Chiaki!" she called feebly.

A woman of indeterminate age came down the stairs. Ichigo merely sat back and observed, but he guessed that Chiaki was about forty.

Chiaki tilted her head quizzically as she looked toward the two visitors on the couch. She took Ms. Hoshino's arm and guided her to the easy chair.

"Are you…?" she asked tentatively.

Ms. Hoshino piped up. "Master Sousuke has come home!"

A faint blush came to Aizen's cheeks. "For a short while, yes." He nodded in acknowledgement.

Chiaki studied Aizen carefully and then glanced at Ichigo. "And who might you be, boy?"

Giving Aizen a questioning look, Ichigo stammered, "I'm…a student of Aizen's."

Added Aizen, "This boy is Kurosaki Ichigo. We have been acquainted for only a short while, but I have taken an interest in training him. That is part of why we have come."

Ms. Hoshino chimed in brightly, "It's so rare for Master Sousuke to come home, and now he has a friend with him."

"I wouldn't call us friends," Ichigo thought to himself.

Just then, Ichigo felt Aizen's head on his shoulder. The man was sweating, and the air suddenly felt heavy. Quickly, Ichigo jumped off the couch and rested Aizen's head where he had been sitting.

Ms. Hoshino leapt into action. "Chiaki! Get Master Sousuke's blanket! Quickly! Kurosaki Ichigo, come with me to the kitchen. We must get some wet rags."

Still reeling from the confusion, Ichigo nodded numbly and followed the older woman. "Just what's going on here?"

"Don't you feel how thick the air's getting? That's Master Sousuke's reiatsu."

"What? Aizen's reiatsu is causing this?"

Wringing out some rags, Ms. Hoshino replied, "We'll talk as we work. Get back to the couch."

Chiaki came down with a white blanket with blue embroidery. Ichigo noticed that the blue was the same color as the flowers in the garden. Quickly, the younger woman covered Aizen's body with the blanket. Ms. Hoshino moved the distinctive curl out of Aizen's face and laid a rag on his forehead.

"Hold his hand," she instructed Ichigo.

"Err, all right," Ichigo hesitated as he grabbed Aizen's hand. "But why?"

"We're trying to get his reiatsu under control. You have about as much reiatsu as he does. Wait a minute…where are his glasses?"

"They were broken a while back."

Ms. Hoshino sighed, "That's not good. Those glasses were designed to keep his reiatsu under control. But Master Sousuke never knew that. No, don't let go of his hand."

She continued, gasping for breath, "I sewed this blanket for him myself. The blue dye comes from flowers grown in our garden. Master Sousuke has always loved those flowers, so they seem to help him somehow."

Ichigo's curiosity was piqued. "How am I helping him by holding his hand?"

Chiaki chimed in, "My mother took care of him when he was a boy. She said his reiatsu has always been higher than most people's. Here, where there isn't much reiatsu in the air, Master Sousuke has a harder time controlling it. There's that much of a difference between his reiatsu and everyone else's."

Ichigo nodded. "Aizen does have high reiatsu, even for someone who was a Shinigami captain. I noticed that right away."

Ms. Hoshino added, "To answer your question, Master Sousuke is leaking reiatsu. The blanket is helping a bit, but it's not enough. Your reiatsu is helping to stabilize his."

Ms. Hoshino stroked Aizen's hair and continued, "It's been a long time since Master Sousuke's reiatsu went haywire like this. See the dark spots under his eyes?"

Ichigo studied Aizen's face. He remembered how amazed he had been at Aizen's unshakable confidence and ability when they had met in Soul Society. Right now, though, Aizen was vulnerable. How easy it would be for Ichigo to kill an unconscious Aizen. "Most people would jump at the chance to kill him. He's caused so much trouble for everyone."

His thoughts were interrupted as Chiaki blurted, "What are you thinking, boy?"

Ichigo jumped. "I was just thinking how weird it is to see Aizen looking like this. Is he…?"

The two women gave each other a knowing look before Ms. Hoshino answered carefully, "Master Sousuke is exhausted. His reiatsu doesn't go out of control like this otherwise. When he's awake and alert, he's normally just fine."

Ichigo once again looked at Aizen's face, this time with a mixture of confusion and compassion. Then, knowing how the women would respond, he started to explain, "Aizen spent over an hour carrying me on his back to get here from Seireitei. He had to use his shunpo because Seireitei is overrun with invaders."

Chiaki glared at the boy. "No wonder he's tired, carrying you! What aren't you telling us?"

Ichigo glanced at Aizen before he acknowledged, "Aizen…became an enemy of Seireitei and Soul Society about two years ago. He left with two others and went to Hueco Mundo."

Ms. Hoshino gave a horrified cry. "No…Master Sousuke did that? What happened?"

"I don't know everything that happened. Aizen said he wanted to stand on heaven's throne. He even put together an army to fight against the Shinigami. Almost killed the Captain-Commander," Ichigo told her.

"I don't like that Yamamoto person," Chiaki sniffed.

"Aizen didn't even kill any of the Shinigami. He could have, though. The only one he wanted to kill was Yamamoto. But then he started going through all these weird changes. I ended up fighting him myself to keep his reiatsu from killing my friends."

Ms. Hoshino moaned. "Why? Master Sousuke?" She finally fixed her gaze on Ichigo. "You…fought against him?"

"Yes. I couldn't let him destroy my home. "

Chiaki's glare softened. "Thank you, boy."

"You're thanking me? Why would you do that?"

"You could have lied to us about fighting Master Sousuke, but you didn't."

Ms. Hoshino added, "Do you understand what this means, Kurosaki Ichigo?"

Ichigo admitted, "I don't know what's going on, not at all. Aizen's supposed to be a super-powerful being. He made other captains look like amateurs. And you're telling me he's like this right now because of his own reiatsu?"

"You should know that Master Sousuke's trust is difficult to gain. It is even more difficult to keep his trust. Yet he brought you, someone who fought him, here."

"He just wants to train me."

Chiaki snapped, "You're dumber than I thought, boy!"

Ms. Hoshino interrupted, "Chiaki…calm down. Kurosaki Ichigo, you should at least understand this. This is the first time in many years that Master Sousuke has brought someone here. If he brought you here, it means he trusts you."

"Aizen…trusts me?" Ichigo was incredulous. "But he told me trusting was for weaklings."

"Master Sousuke…" The motherly love in Ms. Hoshino's voice was evident. "His heart has been deeply wounded. I thought it would be enough if I could give him the love he never got from his family."

"Aizen…" Ichigo's voice trailed off. "Ms. Hoshino, what would you say if I told you that I felt Aizen's spirit when our swords crossed?"

"I'd want to know what you felt from him. Please, tell us."

"What I felt in his sword was… sadness. I couldn't even put words to it, but he just seemed so lonely."

Just then, Aizen started to move his head. The air seemed to be gradually lightening.

"Master Sousuke!" the women yelled in unison. "You can't sit up yet!"

Aizen gave a soft moan. He looked questioningly at Ichigo. "Why…are you holding my hand?"

Ms. Hoshino threw her arms around him. "Master Sousuke, we were so worried about you!"

Still dazed, Aizen mumbled, "Where…am I?"

"You don't remember, Aizen? You carried me here on your back." Ichigo explained, as if begging Aizen to remember.

Not totally lucid yet, Aizen hesitated, "Ms. Hoshino? I am…at home?"

"Yes, Master Sousuke. You're at home. I'm here. Chiaki's here, too. See, you even have your favorite blanket."

A soft smile finally lit up Aizen's face. Ichigo hated to interrupt this moment of relief, but finally he said, "You were leaking reiatsu. Why didn't you tell me you were exhausted?"

"There was no time, Kurosaki Ichigo."

Chiaki cut in, once again glaring at Ichigo. "Don't be upsetting Master Sousuke, boy. How about just being glad he's all right?"

"You're right. Sorry."

"Are you up for some tea, Master Sousuke?" asked Ms. Hoshino worriedly. "I'd feel better if you'd rest some more before you start training this boy."

Aizen glanced at Ichigo, who nodded at him. "I think I would like to sleep in my bed, if that is possible."

"Boy! Help Master Sousuke to his room! I got his blanket right here," Chiaki barked. "Follow me."

Ichigo wrapped an arm around Aizen's waist and guided him, one step at a time, until they were at the doorway to Aizen's bedroom. Ichigo was surprised at the simple yet immaculate décor. Aizen smiled faintly as he noticed the vase of blue indigo flowers on the nightstand next to his bed.

Chiaki beamed, and her voice softened. "I've been taking care of this room since I came here. I even picked the flowers myself."

Ichigo helped Aizen to the bed, where the man sat down slowly. Aizen's brown eyes closed, and Ichigo thought he heard a sigh of contentment. Finally, Aizen lay down as Chiaki covered him. Watching Aizen fall asleep once again, Ichigo and Chiaki tiptoed out of the room.

They plopped down on the couch. Ms. Hoshino came from the kitchen, bringing tea.

"Will he be all right?" asked Ichigo as he sipped his tea.

Between sips of tea, Ms. Hoshino replied, "I think he'll be fine after he sleeps. I told you he was exhausted. But Master Sousuke always seems to recover from these episodes faster when he feels safe."

Chiaki added pointedly, "And he IS safe here, right, boy? You fought him once. Don't you even think about harming him while he's like this."

Ichigo was taken aback. He hadn't expected such a fierce protectiveness from these two simple women. But he responded with equal certainty, "Why would I? He wants to train me. And I still have things to ask him."

"Good. So long as you understand," Chiaki harrumphed.

Ms. Hoshino shook her head and chided gently, "Chiaki, this boy did help us stabilize Master Sousuke's reiatsu." She turned to Ichigo. "Kurosaki Ichigo. Master Sousuke trusts you. This is not something to be taken lightly. Promise me that you will never do anything to break that trust…for his sake."

Ichigo nodded wordlessly.

"So how long have you ladies actually known Aizen?" he asked hesitantly.

Ms. Hoshino smiled brightly, "I was his nurse when he was just a small child. Chiaki's mother (Mrs. Umemori, remember!) was my cousin. She took care of the house. Now Chiaki helps me here. This is actually our house."

"I guess you know him pretty well, then. But I thought this was his house."

Chiaki chuckled. "It was my mom's house. It's been in the family since she was little."

"So how does Aizen fit in? If this isn't his house…"

"This house has been his home since he was little. It's as much his house as ours," declared Ms. Hoshino indignantly.

"So what happened?" Ichigo was curious, even more so than before.

"I told you it hasn't always been easy for him to control it. Basically, his reiatsu has always been on a different level from everyone else's. It's caused him a lot of trouble," the elderly woman lamented.

"Trouble? You'd think people would be impressed. Most of the Shinigami were," Ichigo pointed out.

"When his reiatsu is under control, it's not a problem for him or anyone else. But he was too little to know how to control it when THAT happened."

"That? What's 'that'?" Ichigo wondered.

Ms. Hoshino sighed. "You saw what happened just now. The air got thick as soon as Master Sousuke fell asleep. Fortunately, he was here, and we were able to get his reiatsu under control in time."

"What would have happened otherwise?"

"That reiatsu would have overtaken the town. All the air would have been like purple smog. Do you see why Master Sousuke had such a hard time?"

"I think I do. But you haven't told me what 'that' is yet," Ichigo said thoughtfully.

"The purple smog did happen—more than once—when Master Sousuke was little. On a bad day, no one could go outside because the air was so thick. Master Sousuke's parents finally figured out what was going on. He was sick in bed one day, trying to sleep, when his parents saw the purple smog coming from his bedroom."

"How old was he?"

Ms. Hoshino wrinkled her brow. "I had just gone outside to work in the garden. We had soybeans that year, so that means Master Sousuke was four."

Ichigo marveled at the woman's acute memory. She continued, "We hadn't moved here yet. But his parents were at their wits' end. The doctors didn't know what was causing Master Sousuke to leak reiatsu. And it didn't take long for the townspeople to realize that he was, unconsciously, the cause of the purple smog. You know how people can be…. Parents started telling their children not to play with him. Others in town started avoiding his parents. Master Sousuke's father was livid."

"I'm sure he was," Ichigo agreed. "Anyone would be if someone was being mean to their child."

Ms. Hoshino's eyes widened as she shook her head. "No…he was angry at Master Sousuke. That man was nothing more than a status seeker. And being shunned like this, because of his son, was more than he could handle. So he beat Master Sousuke every time he leaked reiatsu. Even called him a freak and asked him why he couldn't just be normal."

"BEAT him? Aizen…was abused?" Ichigo was moved but horrified.

"I tried to stop that man myself, since Master Sousuke's mother was too afraid of him to do anything. That wasn't the final straw, though."


	4. Ichigo Goes to Town

"Isn't that bad enough?" Ichigo asked.

"Oh that's plenty bad, but 'that' happened a few months later. As I said, word travels fast. Everyone knew that Master Sousuke's reiatsu was the source of the purple fog. The markets in the shopping district couldn't operate when Master Sousuke's reiatsu was out of control. So the townspeople blamed him when merchants raised their prices. Anyhow, the Shinigami somehow found out about the purple fog."

"Hmmm. I think I see where this is going," pondered Ichigo.

"The Shinigami came to Master Sousuke's house one night. They made his father a proposition: they would pay him handsomely if he would just let them perform experiments on Master Sousuke to replicate the purple fog in the fight against the Hollows. Of course, Master Sousuke's father was only too happy to be rid of that 'problem' and get paid for it. I begged him not to accept that offer, but he wouldn't listen. So they dragged Master Sousuke out of his bed and took him to Seireitei. He was too tired to even complain, but the Shinigami could see the purple fog for themselves."

"That's horrible. What kind of father…?" Ichigo couldn't imagine Isshin doing the same to him.

"Exactly," Ms. Hoshino replied indignantly. "My cousin and I tried to stop them, but we couldn't. During the year Master Sousuke was at Seireitei, we tried to contact him. But we never heard anything. His father just wanted the monthly pay, so he didn't care."

"What in the world did they do for a year? And he was only four years old?"

"We were so happy when he came back. He had just turned five, so my cousin and I wanted to get him a treat. But his father's attitude hadn't changed. He still hated Master Sousuke for 'causing him humiliation.' That night, I overheard him talking to his wife about 'what to do about this problem.' He called Master Sousuke 'his curse' and said he didn't deserve to have 'such a freak' for a son. The last thing I heard him say was 'not my kid.' I didn't know what that meant until the next morning."

"Don't tell me…" Ichigo's eyes widened.

"Yes. The next morning, he had the lawyer come to the house. He wanted to know how to 'wash my hands of this curse.' The lawyer was as shocked as I was, but Master Sousuke's father wouldn't budge. He wanted to be rid of the boy. So he disowned him—a five-year-old! That's when my cousin and I had an idea. Since we came from a well-off family, we told the lawyer we would take care of Master Sousuke. We would both be his legal guardians, and he would live here with us."

"Good thinking," Ichigo said approvingly.

"Oh, his father was beside himself. He kept telling us we couldn't do that. But the lawyer told him, 'You've already disowned the boy. You have no say in the matter.' He gave us the papers, we signed them, and Master Sousuke has been like my own child ever since."

"He's much better off," Ichigo mused.

"But for days, Master Sousuke would wake up crying. He kept telling me about the scary men who poked him with needles every day or else hooked him up to nodes for hours on end. It took a long time for him to sleep without having nightmares. But that's when I decided to teach him calligraphy, to calm his mind. I used to be quite good at it."

"Aizen…was crying?" Ichigo asked with a mixture of surprise and concern. "Just what did they do to him?"

Chiaki shook her head. "Mom told me Master Sousuke'd come running to her room or Aunt Mitsuko's room, scared like the dickens. All he'd say is that he hated the needles."

Ichigo stared in disbelief. "So he was just a test subject? And…are you 'Aunt Mitsuko,' Ms. Hoshino?"

The older woman nodded. "I don't know what they did to Master Sousuke, but I do know that he was damaged, at least emotionally, when he came back. That's why we've tried so hard to give him as much love and education as we can."

"I think he knows that," Ichigo assured her.

"But as I said, I started teaching Master Sousuke how to do calligraphy. I bought him a set of parchment paper and quills with ink. I tell you, he was a natural. I thought I was good at calligraphy, but that boy caught on right away."

Ichigo had known that Aizen was special. Watching him fight the Shinigami captains, Ichigo had secretly been amazed at the lethal beauty of Aizen's attacks. He was starting to understand just how complex and brilliant this man was. He smiled and told Ms. Hoshino, "He was practicing his calligraphy just this morning. I could tell how much he enjoyed it."

The women beamed. "That's Master Sousuke. He was such a good boy."

"But I'm still wondering….You said the glasses helped keep Aizen's reiatsu under control. How did you figure that out?"

Ms. Hoshino started. "One of my uncles was a doctor. Once I told him about Master Sousuke, he came over to see what could be done. Remember how I said Master Sousuke has an easier time controlling his reiatsu when he feels safe and content?"

Ichigo nodded.

"Anyhow, my uncle saw how much Master Sousuke loved the blue indigo flowers. That's why we keep them around the house. It was actually my uncle's idea to extract dye from some of the flowers and make thread. Once we had enough thread, I started sewing his blanket. You saw the flower pattern on the blanket, right?"

"Yeah, I noticed that right away. He has a blanket like that in Seireitei. There was even a teacup with that pattern," Ichigo responded.

Ms. Hoshino smiled knowingly. "We extract dye from the flowers every year. My uncle is long dead, but his daughter is Chiaki's aunt and my other cousin. For years, she's been keeping the dye for us at the lab."

"Interesting," Ichigo murmured. "But I'd like to know more about the glasses."

"Of course. There was dye left over after I finished the first blanket. My uncle brought in a friend from the science academy. They noticed Master Sousuke working on his calligraphy one day and came up with the idea to develop some glasses for him. With the glasses, Master Sousuke could live a normal life."

"How did Aizen feel about wearing glasses? He doesn't need them to see, does he?"

"No, Master Sousuke has never had bad eyesight. But we didn't want to tell him that. We didn't want to remind him of the scary men or the needles. So we just told him that the glasses would make it easier for him to see. He loved his calligraphy, so he was happy to wear the glasses."

"So that's why you asked about his glasses…"

"My uncle was actually able to infuse some of the indigo dye into the frames. Not much, but enough to help. Every few years, as Master Sousuke grew, he got new glasses."

"I see," Ichigo nodded comprehendingly.

"We'll talk more about this later, Kurosaki Ichigo. I'm tired, and I'm sure you're eager to start your training."

"But Aizen's asleep. Who's going to train me? You?"

"Us? We can't teach you how to fight, but you better open your mind, boy." Chiaki shook her head and wrinkled her nose. "There's plenty you can learn from us. And anyhow, we got family here in Rukongai #15. Go upstairs and get a shower. We're going to town."

"All right, I guess," Ichigo agreed reluctantly.

"Quit your muttering and get up there. We have lots to do in town," Chiaki snapped.

Ms. Hoshino shook her head and said quietly, "Kurosaki Ichigo, understand this. Master Sousuke is all right for now, but you have no time to sit around while he recovers. You must do what you can until he's back to his old self. We don't know how long that will be. There are people in town who can help you. And if you're going to be staying here, we need more ingredients anyway. That's why Chiaki is so insistent."

Ichigo nodded and made his way to the shower. As he took in the warmth of the water, his mind wandered. He had noticed the blue floral pattern on the shower curtain right away. Even though these two women had revealed a great deal about Aizen, there were still questions in Ichigo's mind. One thing was certain: he knew what he had felt in Kyouka Suigetsu as he fought Aizen. Maybe he would learn more from the townspeople.

"You going to be in there all morning, boy?" barked Chiaki from outside the door. "I got you a towel and a change of clothes. Hurry up in there, hear?"

Ichigo quickly turned off the water and thanked Chiaki. Oddly enough, even the bath towel was a deep indigo hue. He wondered whether this was another project with the blue dye.

Within a few minutes, Ichigo came out of the shower and slipped into the change of clothes. He guessed that they had belonged to Aizen when he was younger. The light aqua shirt was comfortable but stylish. He wasn't so sure about the dark blue hakama, but he nervously made his way to the living room, where Ms. Hoshino was sitting.

She looked up and smiled. "Master Sousuke always liked that shirt. But it suits you too, Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Can I ask you something?" Ichigo started.

"I guess so. But it's best not to keep Chiaki waiting. You've seen how impatient she gets."

Ichigo gave a wry grin as he thought of what to say. "There's an awful lot of blue stuff here. My towel was blue, this get-up is blue. Even the shower curtain had a blue flower pattern. Is all the blue from the dye?"

The elderly woman nodded. "Yes, I decided many years ago to make sure that Master Sousuke was always near his blue flowers in one way or another. That's why he still has that teacup and his other blanket in Soul Society."

"He did seem relieved as soon as he covered up with that blanket. I didn't think there was much that would make him happy."

"We'll talk more later. But I'm glad to know that Master Sousuke still loves that blanket, even now. "

Ichigo headed to the door. "I don't have any money with me. Will that be a problem?"

By now, Chiaki had stuck her head in the door. "Just come on already, boy! You aren't buyin' anything!"

Ms. Hoshino chuckled indulgently and reminded her niece, "Just remember to pick up some things for Master Sousuke. He'll want some tea."

With that, Ichigo and Chiaki headed to town. "Will Aizen be all right?" Ichigo wondered.

"Of course Master Sousuke'll be just fine. He's been through worse, believe me."

"So where are we going?"

"First stop is the apothecary shop. That's where we get the blue dye."

As the two took the tree-lined pathway to town, Ichigo began to think about his friends and family. Seeing the children playing so freely reminded Ichigo of his sisters. Were they worried about him? What about Tatsuki and the others? He knew that they had plenty of their own unanswered questions about what had happened when the evolved Aizen walked through Karakura Town. Yet it seemed ironic to him that he was now helping the very individual who had nearly taken his friends from him.


	5. Aizen's Influence in Town

Before long, they were in town. His thoughts were interrupted as Chiaki grunted, "This is the shopping district. You hungry, boy?"

Ichigo smiled nervously and chuckled, "Oh no, I'm not hungry at all." But the loud rumbling of his stomach quickly gave him away.

Chiaki shook her head and raised an eyebrow. "No call for you to lie, boy. If you're hungry, then say so. We're eating before we go anywhere else."

"Thanks. Just didn't want to impose."

"And just what do you think Master Sousuke would say if he thought Aunt Mitsuko and I weren't lookin' after you? I'm hungry myself. My Aunt Ayumi isn't going anywhere."

With that, Chiaki led Ichigo to a cozy-looking tea house. The aroma of homemade blueberry muffins wafted through the air. Ichigo couldn't remember the last time he had enjoyed one of Yuzu's lovingly-prepared meals.

A friendly waitress led them to a corner table and handed them each a menu. Ichigo studied the front of the menu carefully. The neat, elegant calligraphy looked familiar. His thoughts were interrupted by a beaming Chiaki.

"That calligraphy is beautiful, isn't it?"

Ichigo nodded, not sure what to say.

"Look around the room. See all the pictures? Master Sousuke did all of the calligraphy you see here."

"I knew the calligraphy looked familiar."

"Aunt Mitsuko used to bring him and me here when we were kids. Here I was drinking milk, and Master Sousuke always wanted the white tea and a bowl of fresh blueberries with cream. Anyhow, the owner noticed him practicing his calligraphy on a napkin one morning."

"He really liked calligraphy, didn't he?"

Chiaki nodded. "It's how he learned most of the kanji he knows. But the owner was so impressed by Master Sousuke's skill at calligraphy, she came over to the house and said she'd pay Master Sousuke to design the calligraphy for the whole tea house."

"That sounds like a good offer. Did Aizen accept?"

"Aunt Mitsuko thought a six-year-old was too young to know how to deal with money. So she got the tea-house owner to let Master Sousuke have a free cup of tea at every visit. Aunt Mitsuko put the money into a trust for him."

"Aizen probably liked getting the tea. But did he design the pictures, too?"

"Yes. He can't draw, but he did all the calligraphy and brought some of the blue indigo flowers to show how he wanted the art to look. So the owner got him in touch with an art student at the academy, and they designed the lithographs and the menu together."

"He was only six? And…those flowers meant a lot to him even back then."

"After the owner saw what Master Sousuke and the art student did with the lithographs, she changed the name of the tea house to 'Blue Indigo' as a nod to Master Sousuke."

The waitress came back with a tureen of complimentary miso soup. She placed a pair of blue and white bowls next to the tureen. The aroma of fresh miso was nostalgic, Ichigo thought.

As Chiaki served herself some soup, she remarked, "Notice the pattern? Master Sousuke and the art student designed it themselves. Aunt Mitsuko let them use some of the leftover indigo dye to make the blue flower you see on every cup and bowl."

"This is good soup. It reminds me of my sisters. Did Aizen like this, too?"

"We had miso soup every day, at least when I'd come over to visit Aunt Mitsuko. The owner here gave us her recipe since Master Sousuke enjoyed it so much."

Ichigo nodded. He enjoyed learning a little more about this mysterious individual who had taken such an interest in him.

The waitress returned, this time with a plate of assorted pastries. "The usual," she smiled at Chiaki. "But…this isn't Master Sousuke."

Ichigo introduced himself as he took a cherry Danish. "Aizen knows my dad. He's going to train me."

The waitress wrinkled her nose. "Aizen? I guess it doesn't matter. Enjoy your pastries." She walked away.

"What was that about?" Ichigo wondered.

"We can talk about that at home. We should eat and finish our errands." With that, she took a blueberry muffin and took in the aroma.

They finished eating, paid the bill, and made their way to the door. As they started to walk out, they heard the waitress huffing. "You almost forgot this." She handed Chiaki a canister of white tea. "If this boy is here, then Master Sousuke's here too. Wouldn't do for him to be here and not have his tea."

Chiaki thanked the waitress and headed out with Ichigo in tow.

"Now we can go to the apothecary to pick up the blue dye," Chiaki declared.

"All right," Ichigo mumbled. "But I thought everyone here hated Aizen."

"Let's walk. We can talk about all this at home. Master Sousuke doesn't know the whole story, either. He should hear it when you do."

They reached the apothecary, which looked more like a general store to Ichigo. He looked around, enjoying the simple arrangement of herbs.

"Boy! Come over here to the counter," Chiaki called across the room. He complied. Soon, a woman came out from the back, walking with a slight limp.

"Ah! Chiaki, my dear! It's been a while."

"I'm sorry about that, Aunt Ayumi. We don't use the blue dye as much when Master Sousuke isn't here. But he's home for a while, and he had an episode this morning. So we need about a quart of dye if you have it."

Aunt Ayumi's eyes widened. "I hate to hear that. But I know you and Mitsuko will take care of him."

Chiaki nodded gravely. "I'm just glad he was home when it happened. He's asleep right now."

"That's good." Aunt Ayumi studied Ichigo curiously. "You must know Master Sousuke somehow." She raised her eyebrows, apparently waiting for an answer.

Ichigo was nervous, but he said quietly, "I haven't known him long, but he offered to train me."

"I see. That's unusual." She turned to Chiaki and smiled lovingly, "You're going to want some of the nori, right? Master Sousuke is sure to want some miso soup."

Chiaki nodded, "Boy, why don't you go over and pick out some? It's in the same place you were looking." Ichigo agreed and went back to the herbs. He got the feeling that Chiaki wanted to talk to Aunt Ayumi about something she didn't want him to hear.

But he heard parts of the discussion, mainly about glasses and ink and thread. He couldn't help wondering, but he made his way over to the vases. One vase, a blue one with white calligraphy, caught his eye. He thought it would be perfect for some of Aizen's flowers, and picked one up.

Just then, Chiaki waved him over. "If you've got some nori, we can go."

The boy held out the nori and the vase with a mixture of nervousness and excitement. He hoped that the outspoken Chiaki wouldn't snap at him once again for taking too long. But instead, she gave him a rare, gentle smile. "You were thinking about Master Sousuke when you picked this out, weren't you?"

"Well, yeah. I thought he'd like to put some of his flowers in it."

"Boy, do you realize that Master Sousuke actually designed this pattern? The original is long gone, but Aunt Ayumi kept the mold. This vase is one of her best sellers."

Ichigo blushed a bit. "It's such a deep blue. And the calligraphy…it's elegant."

Chiaki nodded. "I guess we should get going. Aunt Ayumi, we'll take this vase, too." Aunt Ayumi carefully wrapped the vase in paper before putting the order in the sturdy leather bag Chiaki had brought along. The two women hugged.

Ichigo enjoyed the aroma of cinnamon that permeated the air as they left the apothecary. "Where now?" he asked Chiaki. "Could we maybe go to the bookstore?"

Chiaki smiled and told him, "That was actually our next stop. That's where the calligraphy supplies are. We'll pick up some. Maybe you'd like a book?"

Ichigo wasn't sure how to respond, but he had learned not to lie to this outspoken woman. "I'd like to look, at least. Should we pick up a book for Aizen, too?"

"That's thoughtful of you, Ichigo. I'm sure he'd like that."

The bookstore wasn't big, but it looked comfortable. A small reading area with loveseats and easy chairs welcomed customers. Chiaki and Ichigo made their way to the small arts and crafts corner.

"You saw where the books are, right? Why don't you look around and see what you like? Then go sit down in the reading area and wait for me. I won't be long," Chiaki said. "I'll pick out some things for Master Sousuke over here."

"Can I ask you something first?"

"Go ahead, boy."

"That book right there." He pointed at a small hardcover book with a verdant garden of blue flowers on the cover. "Do you think Aizen would like that?"

Chiaki smiled as she handed Ichigo the book. With anticipation, she watched him study the front cover.

"Aizen?" Ichigo's eyes widened as he read the title. "_The Yin of the Pine Needle: A Study in Calligraphy_."

"Maybe you know this already, but Master Sousuke used to bring us a copy of Seireitei Communication when he'd visit during his breaks. He had an article in the newsletter called 'The Yin of the Pine Needle.' He'd talk about philosophical stuff and give calligraphy tips. This book is a collection of his most popular articles. Look inside."

Ichigo thumbed through the pages. Some pages had colorful photographs of the garden on the cover. Then he realized—

"Did you figure it out yet, boy? Those are pictures of our garden."

Ichigo nodded, curiously. "Does Aizen know about this book?"

Chiaki chuckled. "Nope. Aunt Mitsuko and I kept the originals of the newsletters, but Aunt Mitsuko took the pictures of the garden. The bookseller is an old friend, so he set us up with the same person who helped Master Sousuke design the menus. We put the book together and were able to get it published. There aren't many copies of the book left, but the first batch sold out."

"Do you think he'd like this? Maybe we could get this one for him."

"He'd love seeing how his garden grew while he was away. We'll get him this. You still want to find a book for yourself?"

"Sure. It's been a while since I've been able to read anything." With that, Ichigo headed toward the bookshelves. He was surprised at how many different books this small bookstore had for sale. Finally, he settled on a fantasy novel and went to the reading area. Fortunately for him, the easy chair was just as comfortable as it looked. Before he knew it, he was asleep.

He was awakened by a tap on the shoulder. "Wake up, boy. We should get going." Ichigo shook his head to get the cobwebs out. He hadn't realized just how tired he was. Slowly, he handed his book to Chiaki and walked with her to the register.

After paying, Chiaki remarked on the way out, "It's almost lunchtime. We should be able to get some ingredients at the fresh market to take home."

Ichigo, still tired, could only nod.

"The fresh market is our last stop. You can sleep when we get home," Chiaki told him. After walking a few yards (but what seemed to be a few miles to Ichigo), they were at the market. The smell of fresh fruit woke Ichigo up. He had enjoyed stopping at the market on his way home from school. Suddenly he felt homesick again.

His glance stopped at the fresh blueberries. They were in season, after all. He actually preferred strawberries, but fruit salad sounded good to him for some reason. Chiaki noticed him studying the fruit and asked him, "You want some fruit, boy? We can get enough for everyone."

The boy nodded. "Just some berries. They taste really good in season. Maybe some strawberries?"

Chiaki put the berries in her basket. Ichigo liked outdoor markets. They didn't seem so stuffy and stifling to him. The two walked to the other displays and finished picking out ingredients.

Finally, it was time to go back to the house. Ichigo was definitely ready. As they made their way to the house, ichigo started to ask a question.

Chiaki shook her head and said quietly, "No questions until we're home. I'm tired."

The walk home was quiet except for some children playing tag in a small park. Ichigo wondered how long it had been since he had been able to live a carefree existence. He wasn't sure whether he missed it or not, but he hoped his sisters were all right.


	6. What Aizen Never Knew

A while later, they were at the house. By now, both Chiaki and Ichigo were out of breath. Cautiously, Ichigo opened the door and held it for Chiaki. Once they were both inside, they made their way to the kitchen to unload the day's purchases.

Ms. Hoshino was sitting at the table. "Welcome back!" she said brightly.

Ichigo smiled back as he saw movement near the kitchen sink. His eyes widened. "Aizen! You're awake! Should you be up and around?"

Aizen turned around and eyed Ichigo intently. "Yes, as you can see, I am awake. You need not worry about me. I was simply reacquainting myself with my home."

Ms. Hoshino nodded, "Master Sousuke just wants some tea. He wouldn't let me make it for him…said I'd already done enough for him today."

"So…you know what happened?" Ichigo asked.

Aizen lowered his head and said quietly, "Aunt Mitsuko told me why I was in bed, but I do not know all the details."

Chiaki studied Aizen with some worry. "There's stuff for you in here, Master Sousuke. Come sit down and look at it. This boy and I got the fixings for miso soup. We can eat lunch, but then I think we all need to talk."

Aizen nodded wordlessly and brought the tea service to the table. Ichigo once again noticed the blue and white pattern and simply smiled. Chiaki had started unloading her bag.

Aizen studied the purchases as everyone watched with excitement. "Tea," he murmured contentedly. "My favorite."

Chiaki piped up, "The waitress at the tea house was so excited to hear that you're home for a while. She sent that tea for you 'cause she said it wouldn't do for you to be home and not have your tea."

Was that a smile Ichigo saw on Aizen's face? Ichigo had learned that Aizen almost never smiled or seemed happy. Yet something as simple as a canister of tea had made this man smile?

Aizen surveyed the rest of the purchases. His gaze stopped once again, this time on the food from the fresh market. "You got blueberries." He took the fruit to the kitchen and washed it carefully. When he came back, the blueberries were in a small bowl. With a childlike expression, he sat down and started eating the berries one by one.

Ms. Hoshino stroked Aizen's soft hair and said lovingly, "This is the first thing you've eaten today, isn't it? Chiaki and Ichigo can show you the rest. You just sit there and eat."

Aizen nodded quietly and put some of the tea into the infuser. Chiaki nodded toward the book. "Ichigo has something to show you, Master Sousuke." With that, she went to the kitchen with the rest of the food from the fresh market.

Ichigo held the book out to Aizen, not sure what to say. Finally, he started: "I…found this at the bookstore. Chiaki and I thought you'd like a book to read while you're here."

Aizen's beautiful brown eyes widened as he studied the cover. "This is our garden. But when…?"

Ms. Hoshino and Chiaki smiled knowingly at each other. Ms. Hoshino turned to Aizen and said, "Remember when you'd bring the Shinigami newsletters? I took pictures of the garden, and we took copies of your articles to the bookseller."

Aizen raised his eyebrows curiously as he skimmed the pages. "Is that so?"

"We got together with your artist friend and put together the book ourselves. The bookseller helped us publish a trial batch. Those 150 books sold out in no time. After that, the bookseller decided to publish a bigger batch of books to sell in the store. You're a success story in our little town, Master Sousuke."

Aizen lowered his head and said simply, "You took some beautiful photographs, Aunt Mitsuko."

Ichigo looked at Aizen with some confusion. "You call her 'Aunt Mitsuko'?"

"Why would I not call her that?" Aizen turned and smiled faintly at Ms. Hoshino. "I have called you 'Aunt Mitsuko' since I was a child, have I not?"

Ms. Hoshino patted his shoulder gently. "Yes, of course. We're family, right? But...for some reason, you kept calling me Ms. Hoshino this morning."

Ichigo understood. He reached into Chiaki's bag and found the wrapped vase. "Here, Aizen. I found this at the apothecary."

Aizen gently took the vase from Ichigo. Slowly, he closed his eyes as he unwrapped the item and saw the familiar pattern. "Thank you, Kurosaki Ichigo," he said simply.

Ichigo nodded. "What are you going to put in it? I thought you could put your blue flowers in it." He glanced toward the kitchen at Chiaki. "She told me you designed the pattern yourself."

Aizen smiled faintly, a tinge of pride in his eyes. "The calligraphy was my work. But I hardly expected to see one of these vases, especially after so long."

Ichigo dug around in the leather bag and found the calligraphy supplies. Handing them to Aizen, he remarked, "Chiaki found these for you at the bookstore. These ladies have been telling me all about your calligraphy."

This time, the smile reached Aizen's eyes. "Yes. You could say that calligraphy is one of my passions." He glanced at the vase. "This vase is the right size for my brushes and parchment paper. Thank you once again, Kurosaki Ichigo." He lowered his head and closed his eyes.

Just then, Chiaki called from the kitchen, "Make room on the table. It's time to eat." As Aizen stored his calligraphy supplies in the new vase, Chiaki brought a bowl of fresh green salad. Ichigo put the rest of the purchases into the leather bag and took it all to the living room. Then he went to the kitchen to help Chiaki.

Aizen sat quietly, pouring himself another cup of tea. The bowl of blueberries, now half-empty, hadn't moved. He closed his eyes contentedly as Chiaki brought the pot of miso soup. Ms. Hoshino, who had simply been watching up until now, patted his hand and told him gently, "It's good to have you home, Master Sousuke."

Ichigo brought bowls and utensils to the table. He smiled knowingly as he studied the blue floral pattern on the bowls. Chiaki nudged him aside and brought the salad plates. "Now all we need is the fruit and cheese. Bring that in here, and then we can sit down and eat."

Ichigo found the two serving plates and brought them to the table. He was definitely ready to eat, but this didn't seem like much of a meal to him. Aizen, however, was already serving himself a bowl of soup. Chiaki had placed a small plate of cubed firm tofu in front of him, which he had happily added to his soup.

"I have a question," Ichigo started.

Chiaki looked at him warily. "You can ask, but you might have to wait for an answer."

Ichigo nodded. "It's no big thing. I was just wondering why there's no meat."

Ms. Hoshino chimed in, "We've never really eaten much meat around here. And Master Sousuke just doesn't like it unless it's broiled tuna or salmon."

Ichigo glanced at Aizen, who had returned to methodically eating his blueberries. "Chiaki told me you like blueberries. So are these all foods you like?"

Aizen nodded quietly as he finished his blueberries. "As you have seen, I am rather fond of white tea. Firm tofu, however, is the food I enjoy most." He turned and smiled gently at Chiaki. "Your miso soup is almost as savory as the soup at the tea house. Thank you."

Chiaki blushed. "You're welcome, Master Sousuke. Aunt Mitsuko's right: it's good to have you home. But we should finish eating and talk a bit."

Aizen agreed wordlessly as he finished his soup. With that, he added more tea to the infuser as the others finished eating. Within a few minutes, Chiaki and Ichigo cleared the utensils and dishes away.

"Now we can talk," Chiaki announced. "I think Ichigo has some questions about our shopping trip. But there are some things we need to tell you, too, Master Sousuke."

Aizen raised his eyebrows quizzically.

"First, Master Sousuke, tell us your full name," Chiaki told Aizen.

Aizen looked at her with some confusion, but he said with precision, "Of course, my name is Aizen Sousuke."

Chiaki and Ms. Hoshino looked at each other knowingly. Chiaki looked pointedly at Ichigo. "Remember, the waitress at the tea house was acting weird when you said the name Aizen?"

Ichigo was just as confused as Aizen now. But he just nodded.

"Aunt Mitsuko can explain better than I can," Chiaki continued, nodding at her aunt.

Ms. Hoshino began slowly, trying to find the right words. "Master Sousuke, do you remember when you started living here with me?"

Aizen wrinkled his nose, trying to remember. "My recollection is vague."

"When my cousin and I adopted you, we moved here. But there was one other change that we discussed with the lawyer who handled your adoption."

"Change?" Aizen was still confused.

"Yes, Master Sousuke," Ms. Hoshino lowered her head sadly. "We decided that you didn't need the baggage that came with having that person's last name. So we had your last name legally changed to Aizen, since you loved the blue flowers so much."

Aizen's brown eyes, usually soft and calm, now looked troubled. "Are there…more secrets you have not yet told me?"

Ichgo still didn't quite understand. "That doesn't tell me why the waitress acted like that. Hasn't his name been Aizen since he's lived here?"

Ms. Hoshino shook her head and looked lovingly at Aizen. "Master Sousuke, I know this is difficult for you. Some in town just thought your last name was Hoshino, like mine. And there were those who knew that person. They wanted to keep using his last name with you. It ended up being easier for everyone to just call you Sousuke."

Aizen nodded, starting to understand. "But I have always been Sousuke, right? You did not change my given name?"

"No, dear," Ms. Hoshino smiled. "You are, and always will be, Aizen Sousuke."

Aizen seemed satisfied with this answer and sipped his tea quietly.

"I do, however, have to tell you something else, Master Sousuke," Ms. Hoshino said softly.

"You do have more…secrets about me?" Aizen wondered sadly. "Just who am I?"

"Chiaki and I already told Ichigo about that person and what he put you through. We told him about the needles and the tests. But there are things that even you don't know, because I didn't tell you. This is also news to you, Chiaki."

Chiaki's eyes opened wide as she studied her aunt's face.

Ms. Hoshino continued, almost as if on autopilot: "Master Sousuke was accepted into the arts and sciences academy here in Rukongai #15 when he was six. Remember the friend who helped you design the menus at the tea house?"

Aizen nodded uncertainly.

"His father was the director of the academy. Very few applicants ever make it into that school. Anyhow, your friend showed his father your calligraphy and said you were a genius. You had learned most of the Japanese hiragana and katakana symbols from your calligraphy. I had taught you some kanji, too. So when you went to the school to take the entrance exam, you tested several years ahead of your age group. You were a six-year-old in a class of kids much older than you."

"I think I understand," Aizen said quietly.

"What you don't know is that one of the science teachers came to the house while you were in calligraphy club after school. He told us that he knew who you were because he had been involved with some of the tests the Shinigami had done on you."

Aizen's eyes widened at first, then began to glint with anger.

Ms. Hoshino patted Aizen's hand as she continued, "I never liked that Yamada Seinousuke person, anyway. I don't know why he came over, but he told me he had his eye on you. And then he told me something else that bothered me."

"Yamada…Seinousuke?" Aizen hissed. "I know that individual well."

"Not a nice person at all. He told me that he actually gave you an injection during those tests, just to see if it would 'take.'"

"What kind of injection?" Aizen demanded.

Ms. Hoshino lowered her head and held back tears. "He…injected you with some of the essence of the Soul King. Said the Soul King itself had taken an interest in you after the purple hazes. That's why the Shinigami came to your other house and paid that person to let them do all those tests on you. You didn't know what was going on, or what all those needles were for."

Ichigo exploded. "He did WHAT?"

"Master Sousuke, you did notice that small scar on your left hip, right?"

Aizen fumed, "Yes, unfortunately."

"That's where the Soul King's essence was injected into you, repeatedly. That Yamada person said you were screaming like a little girl when he jabbed you. But surely you remember the nightmares…"

Ichigo looked quietly at Aizen, suddenly feeling compassion. "No wonder you hate needles." He turned to Ms. Hoshino. "But what did the Soul King want with Aizen?"

"Yamada would only tell me that a fusion of Master Sousuke's reiatsu and the Soul King's essence would be the perfect weapon against Hollows. And he threatened to get Master Sousuke expelled from the academy if we told the director."

Aizen shook his head. "Why did you never tell me this?"

"Dear Master Sousuke…why should you have been terrified to go to school? My cousin and I wanted you to enjoy school and make friends. And you did end up as president of the calligraphy club, right? But Yamada never bothered us again."

Ichigo looked quizzically at Ms. Hoshino. "I thought you didn't know what happened to Aizen when the Shinigami took him. But it seems you did."

Ms. Hoshino bowed her head and said in a near whisper, "I apologize for that, Ichigo. But I didn't think it was right to tell you something I hadn't even told Master Sousuke—especially since it's something so important."

Aizen nodded. "Thank you…Aunt Mitsuko. But…that explains why Yamada approached me when I became a Shinigami. He made strange comments to me and told me he knew all about me. He told me about 'those nice old women in Rukongai #15.' I told him he would die by my hand if he ever antagonized you in any way."

Chiaki piped up. "In spite of all that, Master Sousuke was the pride of the art and science academy. He was valedictorian of his class."

Aizen blushed and said modestly, "I have Aunt Mitsuko to thank for that." He nodded at Ms. Hoshino. "You taught me calligraphy and then allowed me my own corner of the garden to maintain. I believe that contributed to my fondness for sciences."

Ms. Hoshino stroked Aizen's hair. "Your garden is still growing. We've kept it up for you. But yes, you always did like studying the bugs and plants in the garden."

Chiaki cleared her throat and reached for the teapot. "All this talking has made me thirsty. I think we've cleared up most of the questions you had, haven't we, Ichigo?"

Ichigo nodded. "For now, that's good. I'm tired, and I bet you all are, too. Aizen, could we start our training tomorrow?"

Aizen studied Ichigo calmly. "Yes, of course. Our minds and our bodies both need to rest. Otherwise, training will be more difficult. Perhaps, though, you could assist me in making dinner tonight? I would like to make a pot of vegetable stew. I learned the recipe from Kaname. He was an excellent cook." He lowered his head as he rose to leave the table.

Ichigo still had a lot of questions. For now, though, it was time to rest.


	7. Aizen Starts to Remember

Ichigo hadn't realized just how exhausted he was until he lay down on the couch. Chiaki had brought him a pillow and a soft blanket. Like most of the other linens he had seen, this set also had a blue floral pattern. He smiled and then settled in to sleep until supper.

Surprisingly, he fell asleep right away. He had pleasant dreams of his time working at Ms. Unagiya's shop. Orihime had brought him fresh-baked bread a couple of times a month, and Tatsuki had stopped by to encourage Ichigo to practice kendo with her.

Meanwhile, Aizen had carried his new book to his room. He set the book on the nightstand next to his bed and then lay down to rest. Like Ichigo, Aizen hadn't realized how tired he was. He felt confident, though, that there would be no more purple hazes. Settling into the bed, he closed his eyes.

But sleep was not to come so easily. He tossed and turned for what seemed to be hours. Looking at the quaint clock on the wall, though, he saw that he had been in bed for only half an hour. With some annoyance, he got out of the bed and rearranged the linens. Still rubbing his eyes, he made his way to the kitchen table.

Ms. Hoshino was sitting there, drinking tea and humming to herself. "Master Sousuke! Why are you out of bed?" She motioned to him to sit down at the table. He nodded quietly as he brought his new blue vase to the table and took out a page of parchment paper.

"I thought I would like to practice my calligraphy. Might it be possible to talk about some things while Kurosaki Ichigo is asleep?" Quietly but adeptly, he arranged his calligraphy supplies on the table.

"Of course we can talk. But don't you want some tea first?"

Aizen walked softly to the kitchen, being careful not to wake Ichigo. He found a clean cup and some honey, and walked back to the table. "Tea is quite conducive to meaningful discussion," he mused between sips.

"Master Sousuke…you know I'm always glad for you to be home. But I'd really like to know just what's going on here. You were away for almost three years, and then you bring that youngster with you when you do come back. There's something you're not telling me."

Aizen closed his eyes as he sipped his tea. Methodically, he set the cup down as he composed his thoughts. "I…have done some things you would have objected to."

Ms. Hoshino nodded sadly. "I know, dear Master Sousuke. That boy told me he had to fight you to keep you from destroying his home. He also said you left Soul Society and raised up an army to fight against the Shinigami. I guess I just want to know why."

Aizen's head was lowered. He couldn't make eye contact with his adoptive aunt. "There…are many reasons for me to hate Soul Society. Yet it is not Soul Society that I hate."

"Go on, dear."

Aizen's voice softened to a near whisper. "You yourself told me about Yamada Seinousuke's visit here, threatening you. I told you also that he approached me when I became a Shinigami. That, however, was not the end of it."

Ms. Hoshino shook her head. "But that rat never came back here."

Aizen looked her in the eye. "That is best for him." His gaze hardened. "He approached me again, when I was promoted to lieutenant."

"Hadn't he hassled you and us enough? Please, tell me what happened."

Aizen nodded quietly and closed his eyes. "This is my best recollection of what happened."

_The handsome brown-haired young man was excited but nervous as he prepared for his first lieutenants' meeting. He still hadn't quite figured out the easiest way to put the Squad 5 insignia on his left arm, but he did his best. He ran a hand through his hair and adjusted his glasses before heading out of his new quarters. Even though the newly promoted lieutenant wasn't sure what to think of his captain, Hirako-taichou had at least agreed to let him keep a small vase of blue flowers in his quarters._

_ Lieutenant Aizen made his way to the meeting area, graciously returning the squad members' greetings. Within minutes, he was at Squad 1 headquarters. There, he met Squad 7 lieutenant Kotsubaki Jinemon, who offered to walk with him to the lieutenants' meeting room. The two reached their destination in short time. Most lieutenants were already there. Senior lieutenant Sasakibe Choujirou beckoned Aizen to him. "I'll be formally introducing you to the other lieutenants during this meeting. You probably already know about your former lieutenant, but the others don't know yet."_

_ Lieutenant Aizen nodded and went to stand next to Jinemon. As the last lieutenants arrived, Lieutenant Sasakibe called the meeting to order. "Everyone is here, so let's get started. First, I'd like to introduce the newest member of our group. This is Lieutenant Aizen Sousuke, who was recently promoted in Squad 5. Please make him feel welcome."_

_ Jinemon clapped him heartily on the shoulder. "You're one of us now, Aizen-kun. I knew it wouldn't take long." He gave a gruff chuckle. Aizen smiled quietly and acknowledged the other lieutenants. "Thank you. I shall look forward to working with all of you." His gaze rested on the Squad 4 lieutenant. _

_ Yamada Seinousuke... Aizen desperately wanted to punch this person in the mouth just to get rid of the sneer. Instead, he turned his attention to Lieutenant Sasakibe, who now announced, "Many of you have questions about these changes. As many of you know, Squad 12 had been without a captain for nearly a year." He nodded to lieutenant Sarugaki Hiyori, who puffed her chest out proudly. "Lieutenant Sarugaki performed admirably during that time. Recently, we found a suitable candidate."_

_ Aizen knew what was coming next. Still, he stood quietly, watching how the other lieutenants reacted. _

_ Sasakibe continued. "Lieutenant Aizen already knows this, but the previous Squad 5 lieutenant, Hikifune Kirio, learned bankai. Captain Hirako recommended her as a candidate for captain. The Captain-Commander, plus Captain Unohana and Captain Ukitake, were in attendance when she showed her bankai. There were no objections to her promotion, so she was accepted immediately."_

_ Aizen nodded, somewhat sadly. He knew it would be difficult to develop a relationship with Captain Hirako. He had been fond of Lieutenant Hikifune, who had taken an interest in his calligraphy. At young Sousuke's request, Hikifune had also taught him how to keep a journal and how to perform a ceremonial tea service. In fact, he was the first person Hikifune had told about her promotion. Aizen had been surprised when she invited him to visit her at Squad 12 headquarters for tea._

_ His thoughts were interrupted as Sasakibe announced: "That concludes our meeting for now. Once again, welcome, Lieutenant Aizen. Everyone is dismissed." Lieutenant Kuchiki of Squad 6 was the first to introduce himself. "It is my pleasure to welcome you, Lieutenant Aizen. Please do not hesitate to ask me any questions you may have about being a lieutenant and writing reports."_

_ "Thank you, Lieutenant Kuchiki. I shall certainly avail myself of your expertise," Aizen replied gratefully. He shook hands with the other lieutenants. But his smile quickly faded as Yamada approached him._

_ "Yes, welcome indeed, __Sousuke__." The words practically oozed from Yamada's lips. "We have a LOT to talk about."_

_ Aizen glared at Yamada, and his voice lowered dangerously. "I am not Sousuke to you, Yamada. Nor should you have any business with me."_

_ "Oh, but I do," Yamada sneered. "You were such an INTERESTING test subject."_

_ "Why are you speaking of this here?" Aizen hissed. "Was it not enough that you threatened me before?"_

_ "I recall YOU threatening to kill ME, Sousuke."_

_ "I am not Sousuke to you. And I am not one to make idle threats." Aizen tried desperately to remain calm._

_ "I just wanted to tell you who you really are, Sousuke," Yamada persisted._

_ "I know who I am, Yamada. I hardly need to learn anything from the likes of you." Aizen forced himself to ignore Yamada's attempts to provoke him._

_ "Do you, now? Those nice ladies in Rukongai #15 have really kept you sheltered, haven't they?"_

_ "I already warned you once, Yamada. You will regret it if you antagonize my family. You can count on that."_

_ "Your family?" Yamada laughed derisively. "Which family are you talking about?"_

_ "What do you mean, which family?" Aizen demanded._

_ "See, Sousuke? I told you, you don't know anything. You're as naive now as you were when I injected you. You kept crying for 'Aunt Mitsuko' and begging me to stop." It was amusing, actually._

_ "What do you mean, which family?" Aizen repeated. _

_ "Heh heh heh. You think you always lived with Aunt Mitsuko?"_

_ Aizen glared but said nothing._

_ "I'll take that as a 'yes,'" Yamada told him. His voice had started to become more serious. "You really don't know, do you?"_

_ Aizen kept his silence. His eyes narrowed suspiciously._

_ Yamada continued. "I'll just tell you this: It was your birth father who let us bring you here from Rukongai #10 to do the tests on you."_

_ "Is that so?" Aizen murmured. He looked Yamada in the eye and said pointedly, "I will reiterate, do not antagonize Aunt Mitsuko in any way. You will pay dearly if you do."_

_ Yamada scowled. "I have no business with 'Aunt Mitsuko,' Sousuke."_


	8. Aizen Remembers Some More

_Aizen's glare didn't let up. "Good. That is best for you."_

_Yamada smirked, "I have much more to tell you, Sousuke. You just come find me any time."_

_Aizen turned on his heel, his steely gaze belying his mixture of anger and confusion. As he made his way to Squad 5 headquarters, he was stopped by a cheerful voice. "Sousuke-kun! Sousuke-kun!" Aizen turned to face the familiar voice._

_The newly promoted Captain Hikifune was running toward him with a delighted smile on her friendly face. She must have seen his troubled expression, for she asked, "What's bothering you, Sousuke-kun? You want to come talk about it over some tea?"_

_Aizen smiled faintly and replied, "Some tea would be good right now." With that, Hikifune led him excitedly to her captain's quarters. _

_"We're here. You know where your spot is. I'll make us some tea, and then we can talk."_

_Aizen was glad to see that his former lieutenant was in good spirits. He hoped that her enthusiasm would be contagious once again. In a few minutes, Hikifune brought out the tea service and some almond cookies. Next to the infuser was a small jar of lavender honey. Aizen closed his eyes and contentedly took in the aroma of the fresh-brewed tea._

_Hikifune sat down across the table from Aizen. "Ahh, Sousuke-kun. Congratulations on your promotion. Do me proud."_

_Aizen lowered his head and closed his eyes. "Thank you...Captain Hikifune. I should congratulate you, also."_

_"What's this 'Captain Hikifune' stuff, Sousuke-kun? You don't have to be so formal with me. I'm still Kirio-senpai to you, hear?"_

_"Thank you for that. Things are changing, both for us and for Soul Society. I hope I am up to the task of following in your footsteps."_

_"Aizen Sousuke, why wouldn't you be up to the task? I took an interest in you precisely because you're so thoughtful and intelligent. You're a rare one."_

_Aizen's head stayed down, and he kept his eyes closed. "You are too kind," he said simply. With that, he added some of the lavender honey to his tea. He hadn't tried it before, but he decided that he'd try it again sometime._

_Hikifune looked at him with some worry. "Lavender is supposed to help improve the mood. You could use it, I think."_

_Aizen raised his head and met her gaze. "I...had an unpleasant encounter before you saw me."_

_"I'm sorry to hear that, Sousuke-kun. I hope you won't let that person get to you. If it's who I think it is, then...I don't really like him, either."_

_"Thank you for inviting me here once again. I feel better now. But...I worry that Captain Hirako will be much less tolerant of me than you have been."_

_"He's not as goofy as he lets on. But he's definitely not as familiar with tea as I am.' She chuckled._

_Aizen nodded quietly. "He may have promoted me, but I suspect that he dislikes me. He has already complained that I have an off-putting personality."_

_"He's...a different one. I just think he doesn't understand why you're so quiet and why you keep to yourself."_

_"I see. Do you think he will ever think differently of me?"_

_"I don't know, Sousuke-kun. I hope so."_

_The two friends finished their tea. As Aizen stood up and walked to the door, Hikifune said gently, "Hang in there, Sousuke-kun. I have confidence in you. So you should, too." She handed him a notebook. "Look at this when you get to your quarters."_

_Aizen thanked her and returned to his lieutenant's quarters. "Thank you...Kirio-senpai," he whispered to himself. He sat at his study table and opened the notebook. In it, Hikifune had left him an encouraging message and some advice about writing a lieutenant's report. For the first time since his promotion, Aizen felt at least a little bit of confidence. He still wasn't sure what to think about his captain, but he hoped they could get along._

_Several months passed, and Aizen tried to put his interaction with Yamada out of his mind. He kept visiting Hikifune whenever he could, talking to her about how things were going. After one such meeting, however, he once again ran into Yamada. Aizen still disliked and distrusted Yamada, but the Squad 4 lieutenant was undeterred._

_"So, Sousuke, have you decided to let me tell you everything else I know?" Yamada purred. Aizen thought to himself that Yamada reminded him of a hyena just waiting for its next victim. _

_"I have no reason to ask you anything else, Yamada. And I believe I told you that I am not Sousuke to you." His voice was sharp, and his eyes glittered, as if to warn Yamada._

_"Ooh, scary," Yamada responded mockingly. "Even though those people in Rukongai #10 ostracized you, and your birth father disowned you? Surely even YOU think about revenge sometimes."_

_"How is that any of your concern?" Aizen bristled at Yamada's blithe suggestion._

_"Well...I AM the lieutenant of Squad 4. Before that, Captain Unohana and I were the leaders of Squad 11. So we had plenty of chances to...investigate strange people."_

_"That is no concern of mine, Yamada."_

_"Oh, but it IS, Sousuke," Yamada responded ingratiatingly. "You were not the only person in Rukongai #10 who had...strange incidents...happen to them."_

_"And? I tire of this. If you have a point to make, then make it and leave."_

_"You, Sousuke, were the only one whose strange incidents happened often enough to catch Soul Society's eye."_

_Aizen raised his eyebrows and glared at Yamada with ill-concealed contempt. "It was not enough for you to experiment on me?"_

_"There are still unanswered questions about why these things were happening."_

_"I still fail to see how this concerns me, Yamada," Aizen responded, spitting the name out._

_"Let me get to the point, Sousuke. The people there treated you like an outcast, and I have...scientific interest in them."_

_"I have no interest in returning to that place."_

_"So you don't care that your birth father is politicking for a position in the Central 46? You don't care that we could actually develop more weapons against the Hollows if we researched Rukongai #10?"_

_Aizen closed his brown eyes. "My scientific curiosity is more about botany and physics. How is it my place to develop any type of weapon against Hollows?"_

_Yamada had finally dropped his mocking tone. "I'll tell you what: Come with me to Rukongai #10. I'll give you the chance to see for yourself. Your birth father is living his life, as if you never existed. Confront him, if you like. But you'll see that I'm right. Why should you care about those people when they turned a blind eye to your birth father's abuse to you?"_

_Aizen sighed softly. As much as he hated Yamada, he had to admit that the idea of confronting his birth father appealed to him. Yet he said simply, "I would have been quite happy to never know this. I joined the Shinigami only because I hoped to understand my...abilities."_

_"You have a brilliant mind, Sousuke. Now that you know this, I don't think you'll be satisfied with stopping there. My offer to you was serious. When you decide to visit Rukongai #10 for yourself, you know where to find me."_


	9. Lieutenant Aizen Meets Someone

_Aizen could think of no reason for Yamada to have told him this. Of course, it was always possible that Yamada was enjoying these psychological games as much as he had enjoyed experimenting on a young Sousuke. Aizen hated this smug hyena, but what if Yamada was telling him the truth? In any case, Aizen thought it was probably better to investigate things for himself. He wouldn't give Yamada the satisfaction of knowing that he HAD piqued Aizen's curiosity. _

_He tried to put these questions out of his mind as he walked through the Squad 5 barracks area. After all, he still had his lieutenant's report to finish, and he didn't like the looks of the sky. Aizen used shunpo to return to his lieutenant's quarters. With some relief, he closed the door and turned on the floor lamp. The blue flowers were looking a little droopy, so Aizen lovingly misted them with some water from the spray bottle. But he noticed that he was running out of tea. He'd have to buy some more soon. _

_For some reason, he suddenly felt exhausted. The lieutenant's report would have to wait. His captain had already needled him once about being as reliable as clockwork. "Are you a machine or a Shinigami?" Hirako had asked Aizen, only partly in jest. "You make me look bad, Sousuke. You're more serious than I am, more responsible than I am...and a lot more boring than I am. Can't you be a little more...sociable?"_

_Aizen remembered looking Hirako in the eye and saying evenly, "Are you dissatisfied with my work, Captain Hirako? If you find my personality so utterly lacking, then, with all due respect, I fail to understand why you promoted me to lieutenant." Somehow, he felt a tinge of satisfaction as Hirako's jaw dropped and, for the first time, he had no words. Hirako had turned and left, shaking his head._

_As he looked out the window, he wondered how other captains interacted with their lieutenants. He decided to ask Kirio-senpai again about how to deal with Hirako. He hoped that she and Hiyori-kun were getting along well. Gray clouds obscured the sun, and Aizen saw lightning in the distance. Remembering that he was exhausted, he closed the curtains and lay down on the futon. A smile crossed his face as he pulled the floral blanket over himself. Even now, Aizen hated thunder. When he was little, he had clasped Aunt Mitsuko's hand until the thunder passed. Somehow, thunder was foreboding. Thunder was aggressive. The sound of thunder was threatening to him._

_Finally, he fell asleep. After several hours of restful sleep, he was awakened by the sound of rain tapping on his window. It was morning now, and the sun was just starting to peek through the clouds. Aizen smiled as he prepared some of his tea. For some reason, the aroma of tea was always more reassuring on a rainy day. Between sips of tea, he leafed through Hikifune's notebook and decided to take it with him today to work on his report._

_Good. He still had time to refresh himself in the Squad 5 showers before breakfast. Today, he would eat breakfast with the squad members. Hirako would have no reason to needle him, at least today. Gathering his materials, he walked through the barracks area to the showers. _

_Squad members greeted him with a mixture of surprise and enthusiasm. Aizen graciously returned the greetings until he reached the shower facilities. There, he met a quiet boy who seemed unfamiliar with his surroundings. "What is your name, youngster?"_

_"Tousen. Tousen Kaname. I just got assigned to this squad. From your reiatsu, you must be...Lieutenant Aizen?"_

_"You...cannot see? Still your perception is impressive."_

_"Thank you, Lieutenant. I know my way around the bath area because of the steam. Are you here for a bath, too?"_

_"Yes, boy. Now that you mention it, a bath would be enjoyable." _

_"Then...do you mind if I talk with you while we bathe?"_

_"I would like that." With that, the two found the shower benches. Aizen was surprised at how deftly young Tousen arranged his head towel and organized his locker. _

_"Sir?" Tousen asked hesitantly. "Do you need me to scrub your back?"_

_"What a kind offer, Tousen-kun. You will need me to help you, correct?"_

_"Oh no, Sir. I'm just here to soak and relax. I get lots of cooking ideas just sitting here thinking."_

_"Cooking? Are you a skilled cook, then?"_

_Tousen blushed and responded shyly, "Well, Sir, I know how to make vegetable soup and miso soup. If you like, Sir, I'll make you some later on."_

_"Perhaps we can have miso soup in my quarters the next time it rains." He breathed in slowly. "If you had not told me, I would never have known that you cannot see."_

_"Thank you, Sir. You should be ready for the bath now. Will you guide me there?"_

_Aizen and young Tousen climbed carefully into the warm bath. Aizen had forgotten how big the bath was. He was enjoying the warmth so much that he decided he might forgo breakfast in the dining hall. After all, he had reached out to the squad's newest member. Surely Hirako couldn't complain about that._

_"Sir?" Tousen began. "I know it might be disrespectful to ask a favor of you when we've just met."_

_"Go on. Perhaps I can assist you."_

_Tousen nodded and continued, "I mentioned to you that I enjoy cooking. So, Sir, do you think there's any way I could gain some practice by working in the kitchen?"_

_Aizen nodded approvingly. He liked this boy's initiative. "I can speak to the kitchen manager on your behalf. I doubt that you would be able to cook immediately, but certainly you would develop other valuable kitchen experience."_

_"Thank you, Lieutenant!" Tousen answered excitedly. "You're too kind."_

_"Thank you, Tousen-kun, for talking to me this morning. It was enjoyable to soak in the bath." He helped Tousen out of the bath before climbing out himself. "If we hurry, we should still have time for breakfast." They quickly dressed and used shunpo to reach the dining hall._

_Aizen's face fell as he saw Hirako coming out. "So, Sousuke, you've decided to grace us with your presence?"_

_Aizen's eyes met Hirako's. With a slight edge, he answered, "As you can see, I was at the bath facility with Tousen-kun. If that is all..." He nudged his way past his speechless captain._

_Hirako's eyes narrowed. Tousen gave Aizen a questioning look as they walked away and found the buffet. "Sir...don't you and the captain like each other?"_

_"He does his job, and I do mine." He glanced around. "There is still enough food here for us. The kitchen staff will hardly turn me away."_

_Tousen nodded, still not convinced. Aizen watched the youngster carefully feel for the serving utensils. Once they finished selecting their food, Aizen guided Tousen to a table. The rest of the meal was quiet and uneventful, with Tousen remarking only that the miso soup was lacking something. _

_Aizen called the kitchen manager to the table. He nodded in Tousen's direction and said cordially, "I called you out here to introduce you to our newest squad member."_

_The kitchen manager looked quizzically at Aizen but said nothing. Aizen continued, "This is Tousen Kaname. He aspires to be a cook of your caliber. Would you allow him to make a pot of miso soup, and then judge his worth in your kitchen?"_

_The kitchen manager studied Tousen curiously before turning to Aizen. "Well, Lieutenant, I can't rightly turn you down, can I?" He looked at Tousen and said plainly, "Tousen-kun, we work hard in my kitchen. If you can do that, then you're welcome to join us."_

_Excitedly, Tousen replied, "Of course I'll work hard. You don't have to worry about that." He stood and bowed to both Aizen and the kitchen manager. "I'm in your debt."_

_Aizen stood up. "Thank you for the meal. Before Tousen-kun can officially be assigned to the kitchen, I must complete the appropriate paperwork. I will bring it for your signature shortly. Today, though, I would like you to show him around your kitchen and acquaint him with the other kitchen staff."_

_The kitchen manager clapped a hand on Tousen's shoulder. "Right this way, Tousen-kun! There's lots to do today." The two walked to the kitchen. _


	10. Lieutenant Aizen's Trip to Rukongai 10

_The day was still young, but Aizen had a busy day ahead of him. Once again, he decided to walk through the barracks area to his quarters. He enjoyed the sun's warmth as he watched his squad members at work. Blushing, some of the younger female members had smiled shyly as he greeted them. He heard them giggle excitedly, "He's so handsome and polite!" This embarrassed him somewhat, but he also felt a bit of satisfaction that not everyone shared Hirako's opinion of him._

_"I need some more tea," he thought as he opened the door to his quarters. "Perhaps I can purchase some after I complete my weekly lieutenant's report." He turned on the floor lamp and started to work. Hikifune's notebook proved helpful as he organized his own notes. After half an hour, his report, neatly organized as always, was ready to submit to Hirako. Reluctantly, he took the report to Hirako's office. He might as well fill out the paperwork for Tousen while he was there._

_"What brings you here, Sousuke?" Hirako wondered._

_"I am here only to submit my weekly report and complete some paperwork for our newest recruit, Tousen-kun."_

_"What paperwork?" Hirako asked with some annoyance._

_"Tousen-kun informed me that he is a skilled cook. The kitchen manager and I agreed that qualified cooks are difficult to find. Thus, in order to allow Tousen-kun some practice, I am assigning him to the kitchen effective immediately."_

_"YOU are assigning him? Who's the captain here?" Hirako snapped._

_"I am indeed assigning him. Assigning duties to new recruits falls under MY purview, does it not?"_

_Hirako scowled. He couldn't argue with Aizen, because the lieutenant was right. "Just be sure to put that in your report."_

_Aizen's brown eyes glittered with disdain. "I believe it was YOU, Captain, who remarked that I am reliable to a fault."_

_"Yeah, yeah, Sousuke. Just keep me in the loop."_

_"Of course, Captain. Of course." Aizen's voice was like a melted chocolate bar, but a more perceptive captain would have noticed the growing irritation. Aizen glared at his captain. "I have more to say to you. Since you promoted me, you have gone to great effort to insult me as a person and as an officer. You may say what you wish to me privately, but our squad members should not be seeing such tension between us." He turned on his heel and left before Hirako could respond._

_It had felt good to speak his mind to Hirako, but Aizen doubted that anything would change. He sighed sadly and took the paperwork to the kitchen manager. With most of his work done, he took Hikifune's notebook to his quarters and retrieved his money pouch. This time, he would try to find some of the white tea that Aunt Mitsuko had always bought for him._

_As he locked the door to his lieutenant's quarters and made his way out of Squad 5's assigned area, he was greeted by a smiling Hikifune. Talking to her always made him feel better. He nodded to her as she shunpo'd to him._

_"Sousuke-kun!" she said breathlessly. "I was hoping I'd run into you. I need to go out to buy some tea. Would you like to come with me?"_

_Aizen smiled faintly, but Hikifune noticed that the smile didn't reach his eyes. He said simply, "I actually was on my way to replenish my own tea supply. It would be my pleasure to go with you."_

_"Great!" Hikifune responded excitedly. "Rukongai #10 has the best variety of tea and honey."_

_Aizen lowered his head and said quietly, "Rukongai...#10?" Yamada's words came to him._

_"What's wrong, Sousuke-kun? We can go somewhere else if you want."_

_"No, it is of no concern. We should be going."_

_Hikifune had learned that Aizen had difficulty expressing his feelings. She was worried, but she said simply, "If you say so."_

_They used their shunpo ability to reach Rukongai #10. The shopping district was quiet, with only a few townspeople passing through. Aizen studied the merchants and townspeople carefully, not sure what he hoped to see. Hikifune led him to the tea purveyor. Next to the door were a single rattan bench and a poster with the shop's name. To Aizen, the poster looked gaudy._

_As they entered the tea shop, a middle-aged man effused, "Kirio-san! How DELIGHTFUL to see you once again!" Aizen didn't think anyone could be quite THAT glad to see someone else. His eyes met those of the tea seller, whose eyes narrowed as he studied the lieutenant._

_In a less cordial voice, the tea seller stared at Aizen and asked, "And who might YOU be?"_

_Aizen returned the old man's steely glare and said evenly, "I am Lieutenant Aizen of Seireitei's fifth squad." If Yamada had been telling him the truth, he thought it was better to not refer to himself as Sousuke._

_The old man turned away, muttering, "You just looked familiar for some reason. Hmph!"_

_Miffed, Aizen and Hikifune looked at each other and shook their heads. The old man kept turning around, glaring at Aizen. Finally, Aizen had had enough, and started walking to the door. Quickly, Hikifune grabbed his arm and whispered, "Sousuke-kun?"_

_Aizen shook his head as he dug some money out of his pouch. Handing the coins to Hikifune, he told her quietly, '"hat should be enough to purchase a canister of tea. I will be outside. I suddenly need some...fresh air." With that, he walked out and sat on the bench outside the door._

_As the calm breeze brushed against his cheek, he heard Hikifune's angry voice._

_"You aren't always so rude to customers, are you?"_

_"But Kirio-san!" the old man simpered. _

_"Lieutenant Aizen is here only because I insisted that he accompany me. I see now why he didn't want to come." Aizen had never heard her speak so sharply to anyone before._

_"If I had only known..." the tea seller persisted._

_"Then what? Known what?" Hikifune demanded._

_"His name's Sousuke, isn't it?" the old man blurted defiantly._

_"What does that have to do with anything? You were rude to MY friend."_

_"So I guess your FRIEND Lieutenant Aizen didn't tell you anything."_

_"Get to the point, if you have one." Hikifune was livid._

_"His type's not welcome here. That's all. This district is for DECENT people," the old man harrumphed._

_"Since when is a Shinigami lieutenant not welcome here?"_

_"Your Lieutenant Aizen is nothing but trouble. A monster. Do you realize how much business I lost because of that freak?"_

_Before Hikifune could respond, Aizen stormed back in. "You... Clearly you have no difficulty insulting someone when you think they are out of earshot. If you want to say something __about__ me, then say it __to__ me."_

_The old man fumed as he glared at Aizen. "Just leave, Sousuke. After all these years, you dare to show your face in Rukongai #10?" _

_Aizen checked himself as Hikifune lay a calming hand on his arm. Hikifune's voice was low and dangerous. "Say no more. Sousuke-kun, we're done here. I'm sorry, but we won't be buying any tea—now or ever again."_

_The old man drew himself up and said, "Of course YOU're always welcome here, Kirio-san."_

_Hikifune was not pacified. "How generous of you, old man! You insult my friend but expect me to think nothing of it? You are a fool." _

_Aizen lowered his head and closed his eyes. Grabbing Hikifune's arm, he begged her, "Please. We have been here long enough. Your words are wasted."_

_As they turned to leave, Hikifune hissed, "You will never have another Shinigami customer again if I have anything to say about it." Looking gently at Aizen, she said softly, "Let's go, Sousuke-kun."_

_Outside, they caught their breath. Hikifune shook her head. "I'm...sorry, Sousuke-kun. I wouldn't have asked you to come if I had known you had such bad memories."_

_Aizen frowned. "I know. You are not to blame for that old man's behavior." His glasses glittered as he recalled Yamada's words._

_"Sousuke-kun? Are you up to going to the bookseller? We can buy tea somewhere else."_

_"Some books would be enjoyable. Our squad's newest member aspires to be an expert cook. Perhaps this shop has some recipe books that he could use." He wondered, though, how blind young Tousen would read the recipes._

_Hikifune brightened. "I actually buy my recipe books here. I noticed some calligraphy supplies, also."_

_Aizen thought the calligraphy supplies might help his mood. "I definitely would like to peruse the calligraphy supplies." Hikifune guided him to the cozy-looking bookstore. Excitedly, she pointed out the water dispenser and the display of photo books._

_"Here we are! So many recipe books to choose from. Sousuke-kun?"_

_"What is it? Are you all right?" Aizen asked worriedly._

_"Oh, of course I'm all right. When you told me about the young man in your squad, and how much he enjoys cooking, I thought of something to tell you. I haven't told anyone else yet, though."_

_"Please, do tell me. Are you looking for new recipes to master?"_

_"Not quite, Sousuke-kun. It's more interesting and complex than that. You've tried my miso soup, right?"_

_"Yes, it is quite good."_

_"Anyway, I'm experimenting with mixing reiatsu into food. If I can work out all the details, I think we could end up replenishing reiatsu just by eating."_

_"That is an intriguing idea. Have you had any success?"_

_"So far, I've been able to put it into rice balls and miso soup. But think of all the possibilities!"_

_"Have...I...eaten any of your special miso soup?"_

_"No, silly! I won't try it on anyone else until I know it works. So far, I've been able to liquefy small amounts of my reiatsu. Reiatsu is flavorless, so the taste of the food isn't affected."_

_Aizen nodded, fascinated. "I would be willing to let you use some of my reiatsu," he said slowly._

_Hikifune studied him, concerned. But she simply smiled and told him, "Your reiatsu is...of superior quality."_

_Now Aizen was bewildered. "My reiatsu...is not a curse?"_

_"Your reiatsu is definitely NOT something to be ashamed of. In fact, I'd say it's some of the purest I've encountered."_

_Aizen closed his eyes. "Will I...ever learn who I am and why I have so much reiatsu?"_

_Hikifune rested a hand on his shoulder. "As curious as your mind is, I believe you will, Sousuke-kun. But that means you'll have to learn as much as you can."_

_Aizen lowered his head and said simply, "Thank you. I will...try to learn everything I can." _

_Finally, he found a recipe book for Tousen. "Tousen-kun should enjoy this book."_

_"Tousen-kun...that's the newest member of your squad, right?"_

_"Yes. I had hoped that you would also be willing to give him advice. He is blind, but he has an unusual ability to use his other senses."_

_"Of course. What kind of advice do you think he needs?"_

_Aizen cleared his throat. "Tousen-kun...seems to lack confidence. He has offered to prepare some soup for me to taste. I wondered whether you would also like to taste his cooking and tell him what you think."_

_Hikifune nodded. "That's probably the best way to go. Developing his kitchen skills should develop his confidence." She returned to browsing the recipe books. "You wanted some calligraphy supplies, right?"_

_Aizen nodded and smiled. "I saw them over there, next to the water dispenser."_

_"OK then. I'm going to keep looking at these recipe books. You find yourself some calligraphy supplies, and I'll meet you over there." _

_Aizen's mood was gradually improving. For some reason, the idea of buying new calligraphy supplies made him feel calm. Carefully he chose some parchment paper and a narrow brush. Next to the calligraphy supplies was a table of photography books. Was that...a book of flower photos? Aizen picked it up and went to sit down in the reading area._

_Slowly, he studied the photos. He hadn't even noticed Hikifune behind him as he stopped on the center spread of blue flowers. _

_"You like blue flowers, don't you, Sousuke-kun?"_

_Aizen smiled contentedly as he showed Hikifune the flowers. "My childhood home has some of these flowers. I even had my own corner of the garden to care for."_

_"You still have that vase in your quarters."_

_Aizen nodded. "At least Captain Hirako allowed me that." His voice held a tinge of resentment._

_"Sousuke-kun..." Hikifune sat next to him. "Shinji's personality is hard to get used to, especially since you're used to working with me. Even I didn't always get along with him. But so long as you do your job and do your best, you don't need to worry about him."_

_"We had a confrontation today," Aizen said sadly. "I told him I did not object to his derisive comments if he made them privately to me. I do, however, object to allowing our squad members to see such tension between us."_

_"Sousuke-kun... I'm sorry. Do I need to have a talk with him?"_

_"No... He seems to enjoy belittling me. If you spoke to him, he would know that he was successful. Things would worsen."_

_"I had no idea..."_

_"All I can do right now is mentor Tousen-kun and others who seek me out. Otherwise, I will do everything I can to avoid dealing with Captain Hirako."_

_"That might be best." Hikifune was now more worried than before, but she wasn't sure how to help her friend._

_Aizen went back to looking at the flower photos. "I think I will purchase this," he said. As he started to get out of his chair, he saw an elderly woman approaching him and Hikifune. They looked quizzically at each other but said nothing._

_The woman smiled feebly at Aizen. "I couldn't help overhearing some of your conversation. Please, may I sit with you for a moment?"_

_She thanked Aizen as he helped her into a chair. "Your name...is Sousuke, isn't it? I know Kirio-san. She's one of my regulars."_

_Aizen nodded, confused. "Yes, my name is Aizen Sousuke. I am lieutenant of Seireitei's fifth squad."_

_"I knew I recognized you. You...have grown up. How handsome you are," the old woman smiled gently. "I'm Mrs. Etsuo, the owner of this shop."_

_Aizen blushed. "Thank you. But how do you know me?"_

_Mrs. Etsuo lowered her head and started to cry. "You were such a sweet child. My late husband was your Aunt Mitsuko's lawyer. He took care of all the paperwork when Mitsuko adopted you."_

_Aizen was stunned. "Please, go on."_

_"My husband tried so hard to talk some sense into that fool. But your birth father..." Her voice trailed off. "My husband and I had no use for him. And he wouldn't listen when my husband tried to talk him out of disowning you."_

_Hikifune gasped but said nothing. She put an arm around Aizen as the old woman continued._

_"I'm surprised that you're a Shinigami now. We tried to talk your father out of letting Yamada Seinosuke and his thugs take you for 'testing.' But his mind was made up. You had to go. Otherwise, how could he hope to be a candidate for the Central 46?"_

_Aizen closed his eyes. So far, everything Yamada had told him was true. "Thank you, Mrs. Etsuo, for telling me this."_

_The elderly woman stood up and wrapped him in her arms. "Dear Sousuke... I never expected to see you again. I'm so happy to see you well. Kirio-san, please look after him."_

_"Of course, Mrs. Etsuo. You have my word on that."_

_"One more thing, Sousuke... I'm so sorry that my husband and I weren't able to protect you back then. But I'm glad that Mitsuko adopted you. She loves you like her own child, you know."_

_Aizen nodded gratefully. "Thank you once again for your kindness."_

_Hikifune stood up. "I hate to bring this up, but I had a pretty heated fight with that old man at the tea shop. Sousuke-kun and I left without buying anything. Did you get a tea shipment this week?"_

_"Let's walk to the counter," Mrs. Etsuo answered. "I haven't gotten this week's shipment yet, unfortunately." She turned to Aizen and smiled gently. "For you, Sousuke, I will share my personal supply. Please, take these canisters."_

_"I cannot take advantage of your kindness like this, Mrs. Etsuo," Aizen insisted._

_"Sousuke. I was unable to help you when you were little. So please, let me do this one kindness for you. It's all I can do."_

_Humbled and shocked by this simple gesture, Aizen said in a near whisper, "I will gladly take this tea, and think fondly of you every time I drink some."_

_He and Hikifune paid for their purchases and left. Aizen's opinion of Rukongai #10 was gradually improving. But Yamada's words rang in his mind. Did he really want to see that person?_

_Hikifune was looking at him with concern. "I'm glad we were able to talk to Mrs. Etsuo. How are you feeling now?"_

_"My mood is improving. Thank you for your concern."_

_"That's good. I guess we should either get something to eat or head back to Seireitei."_

_"Looking at your recipe books has made me quite hungry. I saw a restaurant on the way here."_

_"I'm hungry too. Let's get some rice balls or something, and then we'll go back to Seireitei."_

_The restaurant was starkly decorated, and Aizen found the atmosphere distinctly off-putting. He missed the tea house in Rukongai #15. Maybe he'd take Hikifune there next time._

_A stern-looking waitress approached. "What'll you have?"_

_Aizen wasn't used to being served by a rude waitress, but he guessed that most of the residents of Rukongai #10 lacked manners. Nonetheless, he and Hikifune each ordered a bowl of miso udon. The food arrived within a few minutes. Hikifune took a sip of the miso broth, only to promptly spit it out. "This is soup? This isn't fit for anyone to eat," she groused._

_Aizen worried about tasting his own bowl. It definitely wasn't Aunt Mitsuko's miso broth, but his food was at least edible. He offered Hikifune a taste of his noodles. "Does this taste any better?"_

_She nodded and then offered to let Aizen taste hers. Indeed, the broth in this bowl was, in a word, disgusting. Aizen spit it out, just as Hikifune had._

_By now, Hikifune was suspicious. She stormed to the register and demanded to speak to the manager. Aizen mused to himself that she was far more feisty than he was._

_The manager, an imperious-looking woman, came to the table and disdainfully studied the two customers. "Why have you called me out here? I have work to do."_

_Hikifune glared at this arrogant woman. "It seems that the tea purveyor isn't the only one in this town who doesn't know how to treat paying customers."_

_The manager sniffed, "So what is the problem?"_

_Hikifune pushed her bowl of udon almost into the woman's face. "Taste this. Smell this. Would YOU eat this?"_

_The manager tasted the udon and winced. Still, she said nothing._

_Hikifune took Aizen's bowl. "Now try this one."_

_Once again, the manager tried the udon. This time, though, she glared at the customers. "That idiot waitress gave you the wrong bowls."_

_Aizen's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, the wrong bowls?"_

_Hikifune glared at the manager. "I think I understand exactly what's going on here. Just what was put in this bowl of udon to make it taste so disgusting?"_

_Out of the corner of his eye, Aizen saw the waitress trying to sneak out of the dining room. "Waitress, come here, please. Your manager said something about giving us the wrong bowls. Would you care to explain, since this manager refuses to do so?"_

_Reluctantly, giving a sidelong glance to the manager, the waitress approached the table. "I ain't sayin' nothin'."_

_By now, Hikifune was out of patience. She looked at Aizen sadly and said, "Apparently, this waitress accidentally gave you the bowl meant for me, and me the bowl meant for you. The manager told the kitchen staff to put something in your bowl to make it inedible." _

_Aizen peered over his glasses. "An explanation is in order here. We will sit here all day until one of you tells us what you put in my food."_

_At this point, other customers in the restaurant were watching this exchange. The manager's eyes glittered. "Why must you make a scene?"_

_"It would be unnecessary for us to 'make a scene' if you had not put something in my food," Aizen countered._

_Hikifune added, "It would be much easier for you to just tell us what's going on."_

_Finally, the waitress cut her eyes at the manager and admitted, "She told me to put poop in your food. Said you had it coming 'cause of the purple hazes.'_

_"Shut up, girl!" the manager snapped. Glaring at Aizen, she said, "I know you're that kid Sousuke. You caused my son so much trouble. If you had just been normal, he wouldn't have had to send you away or disown you. His wife even divorced him because of you."_

_Aizen felt the blood rush to his cheeks. "You are that person's mother? From what I have heard of that person from Aunt Mitsuko, it is easy to understand why he is such a deplorable person."_

_"Deplorable?" the manager spat. "You with your purple hazes were the deplorable one."_

_Hikifune rose and stood nose to nose with the manager. "Get out of my sight."_

_"You haven't paid for the food yet," the manager said mockingly. "You don't get out of paying the bill just because you're a Shinigami captain."_

_Aizen stood up and said disgustedly, "We will not be paying for inedible food. Now if you will excuse us... You are beneath contempt."_

_They stormed out of the restaurant. Hikifune shook her head and said sadly, "I think we've been here long enough. We should get back to Seireitei."_

_Aizen looked at her apologetically. If only he hadn't come along... "But we were unable to eat. Might we briefly stop in Rukongai #15 for a meal?"_


	11. Lieutenant Aizen Returns to Rukongai 15

_Hikifune had never seen Aizen so unhappy, or heard such an imploring tone to his voice. She was worried about him, especially after all he had been through today. Nodding knowingly, she told him gently, "That's a fine idea, Sousuke-kun. You seem to be familiar with Rukongai #15."_

_Aizen's head was still down, a red flush of bitterness across his cheeks. "Yes. It...is my home."_

_Grabbing Aizen's hand, Hikifune insisted, "Then let's get going. We're not spending another moment in this dump." The two used shunpo until they reached the outskirts of Rukongai #15._

_The air was fresh and cool, and Aizen immediately sighed with relief as he inhaled the aroma of flowers. He pointed to a house with blue flowers in front. "That...is my house." Almost as if in a trance, he ran to the house, leaving Hikifune behind to catch up._

_"Slow down, Sousuke-kun," Hikifune puffed. "We can just walk there and save our energy." They walked the short distance to the house, with Aizen pointing out the town gardens. Hikifune thought she saw a smile on Aizen's face as he told her about the fruit tree and the small patch of lavender blossoms._

_Finally, they were at Aizen's house. Tentatively, Aizen knocked at the door. He heard a familiar voice call, "I'm coming!"_

_The door opened slowly at first. Then, before Aizen could greet her, Aunt Mitsuko had thrown the door open. "Master Sousuke! How good to see you!" Aizen nervously returned her hug before asking her to let them in._

_"Ah yes. Pardon my rudeness, young lady," Aunt Mitsuko smiled cordially at Hikifune. "I'm Hoshino Mitsuko, but Master Sousuke has always called me 'Aunt Mitsuko.'" She led them excitedly to the kitchen table and invited them to sit down._

_Aizen bowed to the older woman and said quietly, "I apologize for coming so unexpectedly, Aunt Mitsuko. I thought that I would like to visit you for a while. There is also much for us to talk about."_

_Aunt Mitsuko looked at Hikifune for answers, but the captain shook her head. She extended a hand and introduced herself. "I'm glad to finally meet you. Sousuke-kun has told me so much about you."_

_"I see," the old woman said slowly. "Do you have time to sit down for tea?"_

_Aizen and Hikifune were only too happy to accept. Aizen went to the kitchen and checked the cabinets. "If it is all right with you, might we also have some of your miso soup? We have not eaten lunch yet."_

_Aunt Mitsuko shook her head, "I haven't had a chance to go grocery shopping yet. But I have a better idea...why don't we all go to the tea house? We can eat and talk there." She looked at Hikifune with a twinkle in her eye. "Besides, I'm sure Kirio-san would like to see where you grew up."_

_With that, the three walked the short distance to the shopping area. Hikifune immediately noticed the change in Aizen's mood. Even the air seemed crisper and fresher here than in Rukongai #10. She pondered that until they reached the tea house._

_Aunt Mitsuko nudged her excitedly. "Look at the menu sign. Master Sousuke did the calligraphy for all the signs and menus in this tea house when he was little."_

_Aizen blushed slightly, but he secretly enjoyed hearing Hikifune's simple praise: "I can tell. Sousuke-kun's calligraphy is so beautiful and natural." He opened the door as Hikifune helped Aunt Mitsuko inside. As Aizen closed the door, he heard the owner's familiar footsteps hurrying toward them._

_The owner, a middle-aged woman, now had Aizen's hands clasped within her own. "Sousuke! It's been a while!" She looked him over. "You've grown so tall. And what's this on your arm?"_

_Hikifune cut in proudly, "That's a lieutenant's armband. Sousuke-kun was promoted last week. It was only a matter of time."_

_The owner led the trio to Aizen's favorite table. "A lieutenant? We're so proud of you, aren't we, Mitsuko?"_

_"Of course we are. Master Sousuke is my pride and joy." She cleared her throat. "But we're all quite hungry. We can talk some more after we eat."_

_Aizen looked questioningly at the owner. "Is your offer of a free cup of tea still in effect? I...would very much enjoy one."_

_The owner rested a hand on his shoulder. "You don't even need to ask, Sousuke. Why don't I bring you all some miso soup while you look at the menu? My treat." She turned to Hikifune. "I'm Mrs. Yasuda, the owner of this tea house and a friend to both Mitsuko and Sousuke."_

_Hikifune nodded in acknowledgment. "I'm Hikifune Kirio, a friend and mentor to Sousuke-kun. I'm looking forward to tasting your tea. Sousuke-kun says there's none better." _

_Mrs. Yasuda beamed at Aizen. "I'm happy to see that you're making friends. I'll be right out with your soup and tea. We just got a new shipment of your favorite hachi miso." She turned and left._

_While they waited for the tea, Hikifune marveled aloud at the intricate calligraphy on the menu and the lithographs. Within a few minutes, the tea and soup had arrived. Aizen gratefully inhaled the fresh-brewed tea while Mrs. Yasuda began serving soup from the tureen. _

_"See the pattern on the bowls and the tureen, Kirio-san?" she asked brightly. "This was Sousuke's design. I got so many compliments about it that I ended up changing the name of this tea house to 'Blue Indigo.' That's Sousuke's favorite flower, you know."_

_Aizen wasn't used to being praised so exuberantly, but it felt good to him. Sometimes, he wished he had stayed here in Rukongai #15 instead of leaving for Seireitei. His thoughts were interrupted when Hikifune tapped him on the arm. "We've ordered. Are you ready?"_

_After the unpleasant experience in Rukongai #10, Aizen decided against ordering miso udon. Instead, he ordered his usual bowl of blueberries and a tofu salad. One taste of the warm miso soup reminded him of his childhood here in Rukongai #15. He mused softly, "This soup is as delicious as I remember."_

_Hikifune nodded in agreement. "This is wonderful soup. Maybe the owner would share the recipe. Do you think Tousen-kun could learn how to make this?"_

_It was a good idea, Aizen thought to himself. If eager young Tousen learned how to make this soup, it might make them both less homesick._

_Aunt Mitsuko piped up: "Actually, Master Sousuke, I've been making her recipe at home since you were little. You liked it so much that I just had to learn how to make it for you." She patted Aizen gently on the forearm. _

_Aizen breathed deeply, trying to think of the right words. "You have always treated me kindly, Aunt Mitsuko. Everyone in this district has, also. After my experience in Rukongai #10 today, coming here was the best way to relieve the stress. I am truly grateful."_

_Between sips of soup and tea, Aunt Mitsuko furrowed her brow and looked at Aizen with sadness and concern. "You...went to Rukongai #10?"_

_Aizen closed his eyes, nodding wordlessly as he sipped his tea. _

_Hikifune shook her head and told Aunt Mitsuko ruefully, "It was my fault, Mitsuko-san. I wanted to go shopping there for tea, and I asked Sousuke-kun to go with me. He was too polite to refuse. But I told off that old man at the tea shop and that vile old shrew at the restaurant, believe you me."_

_Aunt Mitsuko squeezed Aizen's arm. "Master Sousuke...I'm sorry that you had to put up with those horrid people."_

_Aizen finished his soup and then said quietly, "You are not to blame for how those...people...acted. I did, however, meet Mrs. Etsuo. She sends her regards."_

_"Ah, yes. Mrs. Etsuo. She and her husband were good friends, especially when I was trying to finalize your adoption. How are they?"_

_"Unfortunately, Mrs. Etsuo informed me that her husband had passed away."_

_"I hate to hear that," Aunt Mitsuko told him. "Here's the food. We can talk more after we finish our meal."_

_Aunt Mitsuko's chicken teriyaki looked delectable, as did Hikifune's tempura udon. "Now this is a good broth," Hikifune said approvingly. "And the tempura is so light and crispy. Now I know why you're so fond of this tea house, Sousuke-kun."_

_For his part, Aizen was sitting, quietly yet methodically eating his blueberries. He smiled as he noticed that Mrs. Yasuda had remembered to top them with sweetened cream. Hikifune thought she saw him smiling, really smiling, as he took in the tastes and aromas of the Blue Indigo tea house. She felt relieved. To her, a smile suited him much better._

_The meal was quiet as they all savored the goodness of homemade food. Aizen was happy to see that Mrs. Yasuda had put extra tofu in his salad. As they finished their meal, Mrs. Yasuda brought the check and a small jar. She smiled warmly at Aizen and told him excitedly, "The beekeeper stopped by the other day and brought some of this honey to try." She handed him the jar._

_He read the handwritten label with interest. "Blueberry blossom honey. How interesting," he said wistfully._

_"This honey comes from the same blossoms that your blueberries do. I hope you'll take this and let me know how you like it."_

_"For me? How much do I owe you for this?" _

_"Sousuke...dear Sousuke. I'm giving it to you, because you love blueberries so much. Think of it as my congratulations for your promotion."_

_"Thank you, Mrs. Yasuda. You have always been so kind," Aizen said simply. He rose to leave._

_"No, Sousuke, stay as long as you like. You and Mitsuko probably have a lot to talk about." She cleared the table and returned with a fresh pot of tea._

_Aizen and Hikifune looked at each other knowingly. Hikifune started cautiously. "Sousuke-kun was right. This is the most delicious tea I've ever had. And the atmosphere here is far more welcoming than it was in Rukongai #10."_

_Mrs. Yasuda wrinkled her nose. "You couldn't pay me to go to that place. But I'm glad you enjoy the tea. Sousuke has loved this white tea since he was little."_

_As the owner walked away, Aizen remarked, "I enjoyed this meal. We were both quite hungry and tired. The atmosphere here is conducive to relaxation."_

_Aunt Mitsuko smiled at him. "It does my heart good to see you in a good mood, Master Sousuke. I knew you were unhappy about something when you came to the house. Did you want to finish telling me about it?"_

_Aizen closed his eyes. "I would rather not deal with those people again. Yamada Seinousuke told me that my birth home was there. I was apprehensive, but I did need to replenish my tea supply."_

_"I see. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner about where you were born. I didn't think you needed to carry that type of baggage with you."_

_Aizen rested his hands on the table and answered softly, "I am not unhappy with you, Aunt Mitsuko. It is...those people and their ilk that disgust me."_

_Hikifune gave him a worried look. She had realized early that Aizen was a deeply sensitive person who struggled to openly express his feelings. But today, more than ever, she thought it wouldn't be long until he finally had enough. _

_Finally, Aunt Mitsuko started to get up. "Let's go home, Master Sousuke. You look exhausted, and I'd like to see what you brought from that place."_

_As Aizen helped the old woman to her feet, he once again pondered the vast difference between the atmosphere here and the one in Rukongai #10. He kept this to himself and simply replied, "As much as I enjoy this tea house, its chairs are far less comfortable than the ones in the living room."_

_Hikifune was glad to see the warm relationship between Aizen and his adoptive mother. Like Aizen, she, too, had noticed the difference between this modest tea house and the restaurant in the more affluent Rukongai #10. Even the food and the decor were far superior here. Her face brightened as she saw the canisters of tea on the small shelf near the door._

_Mrs. Yasuda saw her studying the teas. "Those canisters are on discount. Most people prefer the green tea, so the white tea doesn't sell as well."_

_Hikifune took out her money purse. "I'll take the three canisters of white tea, then. Do you sell honey, too?"_

_Mrs. Yasuda checked in the back and brought a jar of orange blossom honey. "This is actually my favorite. It gives tea a wonderful citrus aroma."_

_Hikifune gladly took the purchases and paid for both them and the meal. "I'll definitely be sure to tell the other captains about the Blue Indigo. You can be sure I'll be back too." With that, she left with Aizen and Aunt Mitsuko._

_As they walked back to the house, Hikifune asked Aunt Mitsuko, "There's no bookstore here?"_

_"No, dear. I've wished for a bookstore since Master Sousuke was little. If we want to read books, we have to go to the academy library or another district altogether."_

_"Sousuke-kun and I went to the bookstore in Rukongai #10. That's where we met Mrs. Etsuo."_

_Aizen's eyes widened. He knew what his friend was thinking, and smiled brightly._

_Hikifune continued. "Do you think Mrs. Etsuo would be willing to move here and set up shop in that empty storefront I saw?"_

_Aizen thought about this a moment before answering, "I think she would feel more welcome here. A bookstore would be a welcome asset to Rukongai #15, also."_

_Aunt Mitsuko smiled fondly at them both. "That's a lovely idea. I'll send a letter to Mrs. Etsuo. It would be nice to catch up with her, anyway."_

_Aizen and Hikifune nodded and smiled at Aunt Mitsuko. The rest of the walk home was quiet. _

_"Ah! We're home!" Aunt Mitsuko announced brightly. She unlocked the door as Aizen helped her in._

_The easy chairs and sofa were as comfortable as Aizen remembered. He immediately felt more relaxed as he settled into his favorite chair. _


End file.
